All Because of a Bet
by MaintainPressure
Summary: Setsuna Koizumi lives in a world where knowledge is power, and pride is key. A normal student attending Rakuzan high, she wishes for nothing more than to blend in and achieve the goals she is set. When her fantasy is rudely yanked from her, Setsuna finds herself in a whirlwind of despair with no one to turn to other than the school's most sought-after student, Akashi Seijuro.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

I was gaping in awe – something that I never allowed myself to do in public. If I hadn't been here the whole time to see it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it. What was happening before my very eyes was nothing short of dumbfounding.

A bright-red-haired boy was leisurely walking and dribbling around another stupefied boy who, moments before, had every intention of stealing the ball from him. With just a few subtle movements from the red-haired player, he'd found himself on the ground, staring in much the same way as the rest of the crowd at his opponent.

This play continued again and again until, with the fourth quarter about to begin, the red-haired boy was subbed out and seemed content to watch the rest of his team crush the opposition.

Well, I suppose with a seventy-eight-point lead, there really was no need to rub it in anymore.

From beside me, Eisuke whistled low. "Damn… And I thought I was good…"

"You'd be the only one," I muttered.

Eisuke blinked down at me from his superior height, as though surprised at my words. "So mean…"

"Did I give off a compassionate impression? Sorry, my mistake. It won't happen again." As I stared forward, he continued gazing at my profile. I ignored him at first, but after a while I felt my brow begin to twitch irritably. "What?"

"Nothing…"

"Fine."

A moment of silence passed. "Is that why you don't hang out with many people? Your attitude?"

"No," I growled. "That would be because I'm constantly busy. Even being here now, with you, is seriously affecting my schedule."

"Your schedule," he repeated.

I shot him an irked look. "Did I stutter –?"

Suddenly, a groan of protest rose up from the surrounding crowd. I leaned forward and tried to make out what had gone wrong on the court, but the flow of the game was a complete mystery to me. Frustration welled up, and I sat back in my chair with a huff.

"That shouldn't even be legal," Eisuke muttered to himself.

I steadfastly remained silent, but when the score board began to change in favour of our team, I succumbed. Tilting my head, I asked, "What's happening?"

He glanced down once, then chuckled to himself. "Too complicated for you?" When I just stared at him, he swallowed. "Right. Well. You see number five? He was just 'charged' by number eight from the other team, even though number eight clearly wasn't doing it intentionally…"

I studied the milling bodies on the court, noting the way the other team seemed to be running out of stamina at a much faster rate than Rakuzan. "Isn't that a matter of perspective?"

He flicked his eyes to me once, then back to the court below. "Yeah, I guess…"

"Besides," I surmised. "This is just a find-raiser game for the school. It doesn't matter who wins..."

 _Yeah, right._ Not even I believed that. This wasn't a basketball game anymore – it was more along the lines of a massacre, as though Rakuzan were making an example out of their opponents. With that in mind, I grabbed my backpack and stood, ready to leave.

Eisuke frowned at my acitons. "Hey, what're you doing?"

I raised a brow at him. "I'm going home. To finish my school work. Because we have a math assignment due tomorrow."

His eyes widened in horror. "W-What? We have a – wait, Setsuna-chan! Why didn't you tell me sooner –?"

I made my way to the exit, ignoring his sputtering and mentally groaning at the thought of all the homework I had sacrificed to see this 'game'. At the door, I glanced back and frowned at the red-haired figure currently out of play and unconcernedly scrolling through his phone. He wasn't even interested in what was happening at this point in the game…

 _I can't believe I go to the school this team is representing._

* * *

"I'm home!" I called out as I removed my shoes, placing them neatly in the corner and donning the set of slippers available.

"Why are you late?" My aunt appeared in front of the stairs with her usual unimpressed glower.

"I'm sorry, I stayed late at school to finish a project with a group."

She narrowed her eyes. "You think hanging out with your friends holds priority over your responsibilities here?"

I inhaled once, striving for composure. "Of course not, Oba-san. I'll still do everything that needs to be done, I promise."

"You'd better. I shouldn't have to shelter someone who doesn't pull her weight." She sighed and turned away, muttering, "Did your parents neglect to teach you basic etiquette?"

For a moment, my back stiffened and my fists curled into balls of fury. But knowing the consequences of retaliation, I took another deep breath and let it out. _Don't let it get to you._

I made my way upstairs and into my room, and as I unpacked my belongings, my thoughts wandered to this afternoon's game – recalling the red-haired boy's languid expression as he casually fell three opponents in one play. I frowned as I realised something.

 _He wasn't even putting effort into his movements, like he knew what the outcome would be before he'd even begun to try…_

* * *

It was lunchtime, and I was in the library with what I supposed – at this point – was my 'kind-of' friend. Oshiro Eisuke's face was currently scrunched up in concentration as he contemplated the fate that lay before him. Clearly, he thought he still had options left.

I knew this game has been decided four moves ago.

While I was patiently waiting for him to realise this – again – my head was hidden behind a popular old-English novel, Pride and Prejudice. With all my years spent learning from books that Oba-san had specifically chosen for me, English had become as familiar a language to me as Japanese. Old-style English was slightly more challenging, but even more of a stimulation for my over-active brain.

Not to mention the story itself was commendable.

A loud _BANG!_ made me drop the book in my lap. "Hah! There! Take that, Setsuna-chan!" Oshiro was grinning down at me with his arms folded over his chest.

I released a breath, picking up my novel and adjusting my glasses. "There's no need to make so much noise; you made me lose my page. And I told you to stop calling me that." I moved a piece on the board. "You're too familiar with me."

He peered down at the board. "Pfft, what kind of move was that, Setsuna-chan? Normally I'd go easy on such a cute girl with awesome red hair, but you've just set yourself up for a serious beating…" He trailed off and frowned. I almost smirked. The moron never learned.

While he slowly processed the situation, I picked at my _bento._ "Did you finish the math assignment?"

Eisuke fidgeted uneasily and replied, "Kind of."

"'Kind of'?" I echoed. "Are you going to _pass_ , at least?"

"Maybe?"

I shook my head in disgust. "Unbelievable… How do you expect to move up a year at this rate? Shouldn't you re-think your priorities a little bit?"

As he began to mutter a string of excuses, I glanced up at the clock and sighed, sliding my bookmark into the book. I stood up and gathered my belongings.

"H-Hey! Where are you going?"

I glared at him. "To submit my assignment. Lunchtime's nearly over, and anyway, I think this game has been decided. If you don't agree, look at the board a little longer, _baka_." I turned away.

He chuckled. "You're so mean, Setsuna-chan! Same time tomorrow?"

I didn't respond, which probably meant 'yes' in Oshiro's mind. Instead, I made my way to class, mentally going over all the concepts I had revised for this difficult math lesson.

* * *

As the bell for the end of the day sounded, a pleasant thought entered my mind. _Oba-san has to stay late for work today…_ I remembered suddenly why I loved Tuesday's so much.

But, as I made my way to my locker, I wondered what I would do to occupy my rare spare time. For some reason – perhaps because of the amount of homework I had completed in two days – I was desperate to do something physical.

I was a few metres from the main door to the gym when the sound of a bouncing ball and squeaking sneakers reached me. I paused, peering cautiously around the corner. On the basketball court was a red-haired boy dribbling the ball from one hand to the other, gazing up at the hoop. He was slowly rotating his body back and forth, as though readying himself for something.

His feet moved in a flash of motion and my eyes glued themselves there, captivated as they shuffled and turned in a hypnotizing display that had me subconsciously moving further inside the gym to follow their movement. As though imagining his opponent, he twisted and turned in sync with his feet, dribbling the ball through his legs and around his body.

For some reason, his movements seemed oddly familiar. Had I seen him play before…?

My eyes widened in realisation. It was him; the red-haired boy who had mercilessly destroyed his opponents in the game between Rakuzan and Josei High.

He faked to the right, twisted to the left and in one breath-taking leap he shot the ball into the air. The swishing of the net filled the silence. He released a breath and wiped his forearm across his forehead. That was when he caught sight of me standing there, staring at him like an idiot.

"Something you need?" His voice was surprisingly clear. Refined. An individual of high social status addressing someone of – significantly – lower status.

Still, I straightened my spine. "I was given permission to use the gym for a while this afternoon." My voice, in comparison, was shaky and drab despite my efforts. Good thing I wasn't concerned with making decent first impressions.

He sighed, annoyed. "Who gave you permission?"

"Tanaka-sensei."

He tucked the ball against his hip. "There's only basketballs in here. I didn't think anyone else would come." Basketball. _Of course_. Something he excelled at, and I had never really tried. I reminded myself once again that I didn't care what he thought.

I shrugged and headed over to the basket containing an abundance of basketballs, choosing one and heading to the other net. I studied it for a moment, and then jumped, releasing the ball at the apex of my jump. It sailed through the air, and then rebounded off the hoop with a loud _TWANG!_

Dammit.

I retrieved the ball and tried again, only to obtain the same result. Again and again I tried, but to no avail. _Damn, why was this so hard? It's just one hoop!_

"Would you mind actually getting it in? The constant sound of your failure is annoying."

I turned and glared at the boy. "Would _you_ mind your own business?"

His arms tensed around the ball he was holding. "Perhaps I would, or even _could_ , if you'd stop making so much noise."

I bristled, shocked at the nerve of this boy, but nevertheless refused to lose my temper. "Well instead of looking down your nose at everyone who's not a basketball freak-show, why don't you _teach_ me?"

His brow raised at that, as though he'd never heard a more preposterous idea in his life, then turned and bounced the ball once. "I don't waste my time on such impractical tasks."

"Why not?"

"I have more important things to do with my time." He shot the ball. Of course, it went in without a hitch.

I scoffed. "Like what, perfect your perfect technique? Yeah, you'd better get right on that." I tried for another shot and, miracle of miracles, it went in.

For a few minutes there was only the easy ' _swish_ ' sound of his ball slicing easily through the hoop, and the loud, perhaps slightly offensive ' _twang!_ ' of mine continuously missing its mark. I sniffed and kept it up, refusing to be cowed.

 _Snot-nosed jerk thinks he knows everything. He just shows off his physical capabilities to make him seem better than everyone else… I bet he has the logic capacity of a squirrel._

I glanced over, considering, and tried to imagine him as such; cheeks stuffed with food, eyes large, scurrying over the ground in quick bursts of energy. Without my meaning to, I giggled, stuffing my hand over my face in an attempt to muffle it.

He froze mid-dribble, his back to me. From beneath his T-shirt, his arms tensed. His head slowly began to turn.

I quickly spun and shot the ball, adopting an innocent demeanour. For some reason, an instinct was telling me he definitely _wasn't_ the type to be laughed at and take it lying down. That in mind, I jogged over to retrieve my ball with every intention of returning it and abandoning my attempt at physical exercise.

His presence was just way too distracting, and not in a good way.

I was crouching down, my hands on the ball, when I felt a presence behind me. Still crouching, I spun, ball in hands, only to have something slam it away. His foot. My body moved on its own. Reflexively, I sunk to a sitting position and scrambled backwards, hand flying to my neck involuntarily. My breath was frozen.

He was standing over me, ball still in his hands, staring at me with such an impassive expression that for a moment, I wondered if it had actually been him to suddenly kick the ball out of my trembling hands. That was until he slowly crouched down, his face level with mine.

"Why are you laughing, Koizumi-san?" He murmured, almost sweetly. It was then I noticed that his eyes were different colours; one an intense red, the other an orange-yellow. So strange… Compelling, almost. I couldn't look away, despite the fear that had me in a stranglehold.

I couldn't breathe, and hence I couldn't form words. _His eyes_ … His face may have been expressionless, but his eyes were searing me.

"What's the matter?" He taunted softly. "Cat got your tongue?"

When I neglected to respond in any way, he reached out and a cool finger lightly brushed my face. "Breathe." Air rushed out of my lungs, then back in again on a long inhale. "Good. Now tell me. What's so funny?"

With air now moving through my lungs, my thought process was back online. I dragged in gasping breaths and back up even further, his hand falling away from my face. "W-What's your problem?" It was supposed to come out as an indignant shout, but instead it was barely more than a whisper.

"You… Koizumi-san." So calm and controlled… Unnerving.

Just then, there was a disturbance at the door. "Seijuro-san! What are you doing?" The voice belonged to none other than the schools most esteemed female student, Suzuki Chinami.

His eyes never left mine. "What is it, Suzuki?"

I glanced at her. She had her hands on her hips and was blatantly appraising us with suspicious eyes. "I waited at the entrance for you, but you never came. Did you get held up?"

His expression didn't change. "Something like that."

Frustration was fast replacing terror. I stood on shaky legs, glaring down at him still crouched there. Edging carefully around him, I hastened to my bag, noticing that Suzuki wasn't budging an inch. She assessed me much like a woman would a cockroach. "Who are you?"

"No one of consequence."

I hurried past her and was almost out the door when his voice reached me. "Koizumi-san, be sure to exercise caution on your way home. I've heard some disturbing rumours of perverts around this area."

I glanced back. He was standing there with his ball balanced against his hip, eyes piercing me despite the distance between us. The sight was enough to make me shiver.

I reflected on the events of the afternoon as I walked home. The guy had something seriously wrong with him. He'd practically assaulted me! What had his name been…? Seijuro. I wondered what his family name was.

 _Wait a second…_

My face paled abruptly. How had he known my name? Was he some kind of stalker? As I boarded the train, I couldn't help but recall his intense stare. _Maybe he just looked into my brain and found it._ Honestly, I wouldn't have been surprised.

Those eyes…

Against my good sense, I found myself wanting to see them again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The next day, I walked into the library with a determinedly carefree persona, plopping down in my chair and pulling out yesterday's book, Pride and Prejudice. It wasn't long before Eisuke arrived.

"Ah, so serene today, Setsuna-chan. Something you'd care to tell me?" There was barely concealed mirth in his voice.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He laughed and set up the board. "Okay, don't let me disrupt your perfect bubble. Ladies first?"

The game began as usual. Eisuke pulled out a packet of chips and happily chewed, eyes roaming the library and touching on attractive girls here and there. We were seven moves in when Eisuke's next words caused me to drop my book in panic. "Hey, is that Akashi-san over by the window? Strange, I never see him in here."

"Who's that?" I wondered distractedly; Elizabeth had just arrived at Mr. Darcy's mansion.

"You don't know him? He's the captain of the basketball team! Akashi Seijuro?"

My eyes immediately sought the tell-tale flash of red; when I saw it, I wish I hadn't looked. There he was. Akashi Seijuro. Book in his hands. Staring right at me. _Oh man, those eyes…_ How had I forgotten how intense they were?

"Um… Do you two know each other?" Eisuke's voice snapped me out of my trance.

 _You could say that…_ I recalled, with no small amount of shame, the research I had done the night before. It turned out that I _had_ met Akashi before – at a Shoji tournament when I was a kid. He'd sufficiently beaten my ass. I shook my head in response to Eisuke's question, retrieving my book and focusing on the board.

He raised a brow at something to my right. "Are you sure? He looks like he wants to talk to you –"

"Your move, Oshiro-san."

He blinked downwards and focused intently on the game. I blew out a sigh of relief; the last thing I needed was Akashi getting the wrong idea and coming over here –

"Hey, you guys! Who's winning?"

Eisuke glanced up and immediately smiled. "Ah, Suzuki-san! Setsuna-chan's winning, of course, but not for long!" He laughed heartily.

Her lips barely twitched. She was standing directly between Akashi and I, effectively blocking my view of him, something I was grateful to her for. Gazing intently down at me, she said, "So you're pretty good at Shogi then, huh?"

I shrugged. "I'm decent."

Eisuke guffawed. "Decent, my ass! She kicks it every day!"

"Hmm…" Chinami smiled down at us. "Guess you're smarter than you look, Setsuna-san."

Eisuke's laughter rapidly dried up. I continued staring up at her, and smiled politely. "Sorry, but would you mind not calling me that? I prefer people I'm not familiar with call me Koizumi."

She seemed taken aback by my comment for a moment, but then recovered a moment later. "Of course! I apologise for my bad manners. Let me make it up to you. I was going to buy some juice; would you let me buy some for you as well?"

"I'm reading a book right now, and lunchtime's nearly over. I have to get ready for class."

She made a sound of disappointment. "How about you, Eisuke-san?" She piped up, bright smile back on her face. "Come get some juice with me!"

There was a glint of something in her eyes that made me suspect that this had been her goal all along. And there was no doubt she would achieve it; she was one of the most popular girls in school based on her athleticism, and she also managed to look incredibly cute at the same time. Eisuke, with his love for the opposite sex, wouldn't refuse. That in mind, I returned to my book, reclaiming my air of cool serenity.

"Um, sorry Suzuki-san, but I'm playing Shogi with Setsuna-chan right now. Maybe another time?"

Chinami's face and mine wore identical expressions of shock. Eisuke Oshiro, turning down the most desirable girl in school? If I hadn't just seen it, I wouldn't have believed it.

Chinami huffed. "Fine. Have fun losing." She stalked away.

I was still gaping at him. "Oshiro-san… Why…? You didn't have to stay here with me, I'm fine –"

He held up a hand. "No. It's fine, Setsuna-chan. This is our time together. I enjoy spending lunchtimes with you, getting my ass kicked every day." He grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "It's the best!"

I threw my head back and laughed aloud for the first time since I'd met him – perhaps even more than a few months. A few heads turned, eyes glaring censure, but I was too busy chortling. "Oshiro Eisuke… No way you're him."

Stroking his chin, he murmured, "Now if she had come at a later time and asked me that…" He waggled his eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes, fighting another giggle. "There he is." He was considering me with a tilted head. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just… You have the most unfeminine laugh."

Every nuance of mirth I'd just been experiencing disappeared in an instant. I glared at him and snatched up my bag, sliding my chair back with unnecessary force. "Hey! Where are you going?"

"To get ready for class."

"But we haven't finished our game yet!" He gestured frantically to the board.

"Yes." I turned away. "We have."

I made it to the door when he yelled, "Ah! Again?"

* * *

Three days later, I came to school in a bad mood after getting verbally chewed out by Oba-san that morning. She'd complained about the state of my room, which had quickly escalated to a derogatory mentioning of my upbringing. Just one comment was enough to make my thoughts plummet.

So, when I walked into the library at lunch, it was not with a very good attitude – ten minutes later, I was storming back out again. _Damn that Akashi Seijuro, anyway. What an asshole!_ Silently fuming, I paid no attention to where I was going.

Instead of finding Eisuke in his usual position at our table, he was sitting across the room, opposite Akashi. On the table before them sat a Shogi board that was scattered with pieces – most of which belonged to Akashi. Clearly, Eisuke was getting his butt royally kicked. _Why is he playing against Akashi, of all people?_ If I recalled correctly, he was a genius both on the court and off, placing number one academically.

That in mind, I approached them cautiously.

Eisuke saw me first, and he enthusiastically waved me over. "Setsuna-chan! Over here." When I was beside him – as far from Seijuro as possible – he cracked his knuckles and explained in a low voice, "Sorry, I met up with Akashi-san and he challenged me to a game of Shogi. Can you believe it? _Me!_ " He chuckled knowingly at me and tapped his nose. "I don't think he knew what he was getting into, huh? After all the training I've been doing with you? I'm practically unstoppable now…"

"Um…" I surveyed the red-haired boy across from me, noting the impassiveness of his features. "I'm not so sure that's the case, Oshiro-san… Maybe you should be a little more cautious?"

"What? Why?" His expression was genuinely confused.

I rolled my eyes, then leaned down and whispered, "Maybe because your opponent is Akashi Seijuro, the top academic in the school?"

"What?!" His eyes widened, and he shot the boy in question a strange look. "I thought he was good at basketball!" When Akashi just stared at him, he smiled uneasily, then leaned back to frantically whisper, "What am I gonna do?"

"You mean besides try to beat the school prodigy at Shogi, a game he has won national tournaments for?" I murmured back.

He frowned at that. "How do you know that?"

 _Because he's beaten me before…_ I shook my head. "I just do." He looked like he wanted to say more, so I turned away and quickly assessed the board. _Wow, he's definitely on the losing side._ "You're pretty screwed, you know."

"Yeah, I got that part," he hissed irritably. "What the hell do I do about it?"

I raised a brow at him. "Lose with dignity?"

As he scowled at me, the intimidating presence across from us chose that moment to speak. "I think it's too late for that."

Eisuke stiffened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Instead of interfering, I crossed my arms – because I wanted to know what that meant, too.

He fixed those penetrating eyes on his opponent, and they were so forceful that even Eisuke's shoulder's twitched. "Exactly what I said."

"But why would you say that?" Eisuke grumbled with growing impatience.

Akashi tilted his head. "Perhaps because you are relying on this girl to help you in a game between two men."

Eisuke's exclamation of protest was lost to me. Every ounce of anger I'd felt since this morning – no, this _week_ – came rushing to the surface all at once. Still, I kept my tone even as I leaned toward him. "I didn't pick you for the sexist type, Akashi-san."

Those eyes found me, locking onto mine with all the weight of a ten-tonne truck. "I wasn't suggesting your gender, Koizumi Setsuna."

 _Which means you're basically saying I suck._ One look confirmed it.

Unconsciously, I leaned forward and lowered my voice. "You say this is a game between two men? With such ungrounded and uneducated judgement, Akashi-san, I think I disagree with you." I reached out and moved a piece.

His head tilted, analysing me. He hadn't even looked at the board. "If you look a little closer, I think you'll find your opinion is hardly authorised." His deft fingers reached out, making his own move.

Behind me, Eisuke tried to interfere, but I stopped him with a tight grip to his wrist. I smiled pleasantly at Akashi, refusing to let him see the effect his words had on me. "Authorised? Are we living in a society where I should seek permission to voice a valid opinion?" One glance at the board told me this was going exactly the way I wanted it to go. "Maybe you feel threatened, and are trying various but equally reprehensible tactics to avoid the possibility of defeat?"

His eyes never left mine as I made my move, but his fingers did twitch a little. "Or maybe," he murmured softly, "I see no acceptable cause for you to have voiced your… _opinion_." This time there was a whip of censure in his voice despite his level tone.

" _Maybe_ you should reflect on your words, Akashi-san. I think you'll find a very _appropriate_ cause."

We stared at each other for an uncomfortably long time, neither of us content to back down. Again Eisuke shuffled in his seat, and this time I didn't bother to try and stop his protest.

"Setsuna-chan, maybe we should go –"

"We're in the middle of a game," Akashi interrupted smoothly. "A game that you have so impolitely intruded upon. Now we must start from the beginning."

I swallowed once, trying to ignore the pang in my chest that told me he had a point. "Well, that was –"

"I think you've overstayed your welcome." There was not an inch of give in his tone.

I stared at him, wondering where he found the nerve to order me around the way he did. Red-hot embarrassment burned its way up my chest, into my neck to suffuse my face – until I was fairly sure I looked like a walking strawberry. All the while his eyes watched me, taking in my fuming stance and furious eyes. Humiliated, but reluctant to show it, I whirled around and stalked out of the library.

 _The hell is his problem? He's the one that started it! It's not like I wanted to –_

I collided hard with a body and fell to the ground in a heap. "Oh, sorry!" I said immediately. I glanced up, only to find myself making eye contact with none other than Suzuki Chinami. Next two her stood two of her many friends, whose names I hadn't bothered to remember.

"Koizumi Setsuna…" She looked behind me. "Your boyfriend's not with you today?"

It took me a moment before I realised she was referring to Eisuke. "He's not my boyfriend," I growled, gaining my feet.

"Oh, not poor Oshiro-san? But you guys spend so much time together. Hmm…" She leaned in. "Is it Akashi? I saw him crawling all over you on the court the other day. And today, you were practically crawling all over _him_ in the library, weren't you?"

A blush crept into my cheeks, and my face fixed itself into an outraged expression. "What? Of course not! I fell, and… And he was helping me up, that's all! And in the library – wait." I paused and frowned up at her. "I don't owe you any kind of explanation. He's not my boyfriend, and that's it."

She smirked. "Hmm… I'll take you at your word for that. Akashi would never go for someone like… you." A chuckle. "Guess his instincts were spot on. I mean, the amount of baggage that would come with you…" She shook her head.

I frowned. "Excuse me?"

Adopting an innocent expression, she came closer to me as she purred, "Well… Seriously, can you imagine having to deal with –" her mouth was at my ear "– Hearing you cry about your parents all the time?"

Every inch of my body froze, as though someone had just injected me with ice. My eyes were wide, unblinking.

 _How did she know?_

'That's right, Koizumi-san…" Her voice was pure venom. "I know everything about your past, your parents. I know how they… died. And I know why. It was all because of poor little _Setsuna-chan_."

My hands began to tremble. Her two friends were looking on nervously, wondering what she was saying, but I barely spared them a thought. I was aware of everything at once – the squeaking of sneakers playing basketball from inside the gym, the shouts of students through the window. It was as though every molecule of my being was alive and focused on Suzuki Chinami.

"I wonder what Oshiro-san would think of you… if he knew? Or Akashi-san? I wonder…" She laughed again. "What _everyone_ would think."

The trembling spread to my toes, past my unblinking eyes, to the top of my head. My hands curled into themselves, nails digging into my skin. There was a strange roar in my head, but I could hardly focus on it, because in that moment, everything in me was pointing toward Chinami Suzuki.

Pointing at her with claws fully extended.

In the split second it took for my mind to register it, my body had already moved. My arm snapped back and was about to lunge forward with every ounce of strength I possessed when out of nowhere, another hand appeared and clenched onto it, preventing the movement.

"Hey! Setsuna-chan! Calm down!" The hand ripped my arm back, turning my body all the way around. I blinked upwards and realised that Eisuke had just prevented me from punching the hell out of Chinami's face. He shook me once, and the jolt seemed to knock sense back into my brain. "What's going on here?"

Chinami laughed that horrible laugh. "Oh, just reminiscing about old times… Right, Koizumi-san?"

"Shut up," I breathed.

"We were swapping childhood stories, if you must know." She beamed at Eisuke. "Koizumi's was just fascinating. Want to hear it?"

"Shut up."

Eisuke was glancing back and forth between us. "What's she talking about, Setsuna-chan?" I began shaking my head.

"It goes like this –"

"Shut up!" I screamed.

Eisuke tucked me into his chest. "That's enough, Suzuki!"

Chinami narrowed her eyes on him. "No. She deserves to squirm for not knowing her place like she should. Who does she think she is? Thinking she was good enough for the school's star student!" She glanced down at me and smirked. "I'm going to make sure the whole school knows –"

I lunged for her again. "I swear to God, I'll kill you –!"

"Look, why don't we settle this with a game of basketball?"

All eyes fixed on Eisuke, and there was a brief moment of disbelieving silence. "What did you say?"

He scrubbed the back of his head in agitation. "You and Setsuna-chan. One-on-one. Whoever wins will have their way. Okay?" His voice went slightly shrill towards the end.

Again, silence. And then Chinami threw her head back and laughed. "I may as well go and announce it over the speaker's now. You think she stands a chance against _me_?"

I was conveying the same message with my eyes as I stared desperately up at him. Basketball? _Basketball?_ Of all the… He cowered under my furious glower, swallowed, and hastily amended, "N-Not now, of course. We'll have the match in six weeks time. You know, exams coming up soon and stuff…" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Evidently neither could Chinami, because she was laughing so hard, she was clutching her stomach. "I can't believe what's coming out of your mouth! You think you can tell me how it is?"

I had to do something now, before she decided this scenario was just too ridiculous. I pulled away from Eisuke and stood toe-to-toe with Chinami, making sure her friends had a good view of me.

"What's wrong, Suzuki? Scared I might learn a few moves in that time? I thought athletes liked a little competition. Imagine what everyone would think if you backed out of a challenge from me, of all people…"

She frowned at me in confusion. Behind her, the two friends whispered to each other, and she glared back at them. "Got something to add?"

They immediately broke apart. "N-No."

She considered me for a moment, deliberating, and then she chuckled. "I guess I can have a little fun with this. I'll give you four weeks to prepare. But make no mistake, Setsuna-chan." She leaned closer. "When I win, I'll make sure I start off small, just a few people here and there, so that everyday when you come to school, there'll be more people whispering behind your back then there was the day before. It'll be like a storm that never ends." She flipped her hair. "Not to mention I have a reputation to protect."

She blew me a little kiss, and then sauntered away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"What the hell was that, Oshiro?" I barked, spinning to face him.

He jumped and looked down at me. "Huh? I was helping you. What happened between you two? I've never seen you so…" His eyes raked over me. "Setsuna-chan, you're trembling! Are you okay?"

He tried to grab my arm, but I wrenched it away. "Why did you suggest such a ludicrous idea as basketball? Why did you pick that sport, Oshiro? Why did you even pick a sport in the first place?"

He flinched and shrugged, a little desperately. "Well you said you practiced basketball the other day so I thought you'd be half-decent, and plus we're standing outside the gym where the basketball court is, so I… Look, I was under a lot of pressure, all right? I had to act quickly."

"Oh, _you_ were under pressure?"

"Yes, I was! You were out of control!"

"Oh, that's just rich!" I drew in a shaky breath and ran a hand through my thick hair. "I've just bet everything on a one-on-one game of basketball… If anyone finds out…"

"Setsuna-chan, you're trembling again!" He reached for me, but again, I pulled away.

"Don't touch me! This is all your fault!" I turned and stalked in the opposite direction just as the bell rang for class to begin.

* * *

Last night I'd gotten next to no sleep. The concept of trying to learn the fundamentals of basketball within a month was so terrifying I had lain awake staring at the ceiling, trying to imagine myself dribbling a ball around a court. The image was not pleasant. However, I did have a goal. Today, I was going to ask permission to use the basketball court for after-school practice.

When lunchtime came, I made my request, which was accepted after a small deliberation. I had told Oba-san that I had a large group project due in a month's time, which required me to work on it at school, with the promise to complete all my chores at home.

And so, in the first afternoon of basketball training of many to come, I spent the first half hour keeping one eye on the gym door, waiting and dreading for Akashi to appear. When he did not, I spent the remaining hour attempting to dribble, which turned out to be just as I had imagined it would.

It was about then that it hit me. There was no way I was going to win this bet.

The next day was no better than the one before. Eisuke hadn't shown up at the library during lunch, and my basketball skills were as dreadful as ever. I wondered if therewas any hope for me at all.

As I walked to school the third day, I silently prayed that Eisuke came to the library for lunch today. Last night, I realised that I had been much too harsh on him after our incident with Chinami, and after a few hours of inner debate, conceded that an apology was probably in order.

When the bell rang for lunch, I made my way to the library, seating myself in my usual seat. My eyes scanned the space for Eisuke… as well as Akashi. He hadn't appeared in here again since our incident the other day.

Sighing, I grabbed my book and lunch, and had just taken out a rice ball when a chair scraped out in front of me, a large body flopping down into it. I glanced up, and Eisuke's eye met mine over the book.

"Hey." Not his usual happy greeting, but what could I have expected?

I set the book on my lap. "Hey, Oshiro-san." Fiddled with the rice ball. "Listen… About the other day… I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have said what I did to you. I was flustered and panicked, and I know that's no excuse, but I hope you'll forgive me. I know you were just… trying to help." I swallowed and rushed out, "I'm sorry."

Eisuke considered me for a moment; a few moments ticked by in silence. I was wondering if he was going to say anything when he pulled out a board and set it upon the table between us. "How about you make it up to me by giving me a challenge?"

I grinned. "Okay. You're on."

As we played – with me going a little easier on him than usual – we talked about what we had been doing for the past two days. Of course, it wasn't long before the incident between Chinami and I was mentioned.

"Setsuna-chan, what happened the other day… between you and Suzuki?" When I didn't reply, he continued, "Look, you know you can trust me, right? I wouldn't tell anyone something like this."

I focused on the board in front of me and made a move. "I know you wouldn't, Oshiro-san. I… I trust you. But this… Sorry. I can't."

He was silent for a moment. "So what're you gonna do?"

"I don't know," I whispered. "I mean, I have permission to use the basketball court every afternoon for a month, so that's a start, right?"

"Wait, you do?" He seemed genuinely surprised. "Well… I guess that makes sense. Basketball season finished up last week and there aren't any more competitions coming up for a while, so we won't be using the court much then." He laughed and shook his head. "You're lucky all this happened now rather than in a month!"

A few minutes went by before it finally clicked. "Wait… 'We'?"

"Huh?" He was totally absorbed in the game – which made sense since he was about to lose.

"You said 'we' before."

He blinked at me. "Oh. Yeah. The basketball team."

I was gaping. "You're on the basketball team?"

"Yes… I've been wearing the jersey since the first day I met you. Didn't you notice?" I shook my head mutely. "What? Aw, Setsuna-chan! You're so heartless, this works on all the other girls –"

"You have to teach me to play basketball." He seemed stunned. "Please. Please teach me how to play."

"O-Okay…"

That afternoon found me in the gym again, attempting to learn the incredibly complex game of basketball with Eisuke booming instructions at me from the sidelines. Truthfully, if I weren't so desperate, I would've given up on this a long time ago.

"Setsuna-chan, you're not dribbling right." He grabbed the ball to demonstrate. "You have to dribble with your fingers. Pushing with your whole hand wastes energy and throws you off-balance. You get more control up here." He gestured to his fingers.

Sure enough, I was dribbling much better than normal within fifteen minutes. Next he corrected my stance. "You're too stiff. Relax. Widen your stance and stand on an angle." I followed his instructions. "Good. Bend your knees a little… Now, dribble."

I did… And smiled widely when I realised how much better this felt. Suddenly, I didn't feel as hopeless as I had yesterday. Now… I felt like I had a chance.

* * *

Sometime during the week, as we went about our daily routine, I heard my name mentioned in the dark corners of corridors. I couldn't pinpoint the source. For a moment, I thought Chinami had gone ahead and broken our deal. Fear suffused me, and when I went into the library that day for lunch, my face was exceptionally pale.

When Eisuke sat down opposite me, he was already talking. "Setsuna-chan, did you hear? The rumour of your bet with Chinami spread. Everyone's talking about it! A one-on-one battle; Koizumi versus Suzuki." He beamed down at me. "This is good! Now she can't pull out early and break her promise."

"Wait, so… _That's_ why I've been hearing my name everywhere?"

He nodded, and I exhaled in relief. "What else did you think…? Oh." When he saw my desolate expression, he patted my hand and smiled. "Don't worry, Setsuna-chan. I'll make sure you win this bet."

I was smiling up at him when, in my peripheral vision, I saw a flash of red. My eyes immediately latched onto it. Akashi Seijuro was strolling past behind Eisuke, reading a book in one hand. My breathing seized up for a moment. _Those eyes…_

I shook my head. _Get a grip!_ Sure, I was wary of him after our two little episodes, but now I was just being ridiculous –

His eyes shifted… And latched onto mine.

"… Setsuna-chan? What's wrong?"

I blinked. Breathed. Became aware of my surroundings. "Huh?"

Eisuke frowned at me. "You've been staring at the same spot for a while, you were starting to freak me out."

I looked around; Akashi was gone. I breathed a sigh of relief. "It's nothing. Come on, lunch is nearly over."

"But we haven't finished the _game_ ," Eisuke whined, pouting as I stood.

I considered the board for a moment, and then moved a piece. "There, now we're done. Come on."

* * *

A week of rigorous training with Eisuke passed, and each day I woke up so sore it took every ounce of will I had just to make it to school. Despite the effort I put into practicing every day, I was barely noticing a difference in my performance. Once again, my spirits plummeted. But still, that was nothing compared to what was about to come.

I was attempting to tame my unfortunately thick hair when my phone vibrated with a message. It was from Eisuke.

' _Setsuna-chan, I'm so sorry! I've injured my ankle, and Miyaki-sensei says I can't do any strenuous exercise for two weeks. Okaa-chan made me promise I would come straight home after school every day. I won't be able to help you with basketball practice, Setsuna-chan! Please forgive me!'_

I released a breath. Eisuke… had been my last hope. He was on one of the most powerful basketball teams in the nation, and now, somehow, I would have to learn basketball without him. I clasped my forehead, despair leeching over me once again. How was I going to pull this off?

I quickly messaged him back, reassuring him that there was nothing he could do, and that I didn't blame him in the slightest. However, some selfish part of me did blame him. What in the world had he been doing to injure his ankle so badly?

I spent the morning in a gloomy state. Despite my efforts, I was still in the same position I'd been in a week ago, and without Eisuke's help, I had no chance of going up against Chinami with a successful outcome.

I walked into the library slightly late, and some part of me was still expecting to see Eisuke sitting there, waiting for me with the Shogi board in front of him.

No such luck.

I sat in my normal chair, but instead of pulling out a book, I stared at the wall across from me. I was stuck with nowhere to go, no one to help me… _Wait_.

An idea began to form in my mind. An idea so preposterous, so absurd, that I was bemused at myself for even imagining it. My eyes wandered the room. _Is he here…?_

A flash of red stopped them. Yes, he was here. Maybe…

 _No. Way. He would never do something so stupid. He doesn't even like you!_

Yes, that was true. But… It was either this or lose the bet and have everyone know about my past…

The thought had me out of my seat and strolling over to him before I was even aware of what I was doing. As I approached him, he glanced up from whatever book he'd been reading and considered me with those odd, piercing eyes. When I stopped in front of him, one red eyebrow rose.

"Can I help you?"

I took a deep breath. "Yes. You can."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Akashi Seijuro, I'm sure, had many great qualities. He was the captain of one of the greatest high school basketball teams in the nation; he was intelligent, and he was refined in his actions and his words. He was probably the most successful, popular guy in the school.

But he was not in any way compassionate.

When I had given him my proposal, he'd stared up at me for a few moments in silence, and then gone back to reading his book without a single word. Obviously he'd just dismissed me. I was so surprised by his reaction that it took me a minute to regain my composure.

"So, what do you think? Will you help me?" My voice cracked a little at the end.

"No."

I was stooped. He'd just turned me down so calmly and evenly that I was at a loss of how to respond adequately. "B-But… I need your help! I don't know anyone else who's as good at basketball as you. I need someone like you who can teach me quickly so I –"

"Yes, I've heard all about your bet with Suzuki Chinami." He bookmarked his page and closed it. "I don't get involved in things like that. Especially when the outcome is already guaranteed." He stood and grabbed his bag.

No… No, no, no. He was about to leave… And take any chance I had at success with him. I narrowed my eyes. I wasn't going to let that happen. Not if it was within my power to do something about it!

Before he'd moved even an inch, I slammed my hand on the table and looked him in the eye. I made my posture straight and my gaze challenging. "Akashi Seijuro. I challenge you to a game of Shogi." I could almost feel every head in the near vicinity turning to stare at me in astonishment as I made my declaration.

"Are you sure that's a wise decision? It didn't go so well for you last time."

For the second time in his presence, I blushed like crazy. I knew that by 'last time' he was referring to the Shogi competition he had not only beaten me in, but completely knocked me out of. Simply recalling the crushing defeat made me boil.

I spoke through gritted teeth. "Absolutely."

I refused to move, waiting in silence for his reply, staring him down – or at least attempting to – but I still wasn't prepared for it when it came.

"Alright."

I blinked. "Alright."

"Yes. Alright." Could he sound any more condescending?

"Okay." I continued to stare. "Um… Right. Well. Do you have a board?"

"Yes."

"Really?" I was surprised. Had he known this would happen?

"Yes."

"Alright." _Pull yourself together, Setsuna!_ I shook my head. "If I win, then you have to train me for the next three weeks."

His expression didn't change, but I thought I saw a glint of something in his miss-matched eyes. "And if I win?"

"You won't ever have to hear from me again." I gulped, hoping he'd take the bait.

Without a word, he opened his bag and pulled out a Shogi board, complete with pieces. Suddenly my stomach began to churn. Why would he carry Shogi around in his bag unless… he was good?

 _No_. I wouldn't let myself be discouraged. I straightened my back and took a seat opposite him. I was good at this game, and with the stakes this high, there was no way I was going to let him win. He may not wish to spend the next three weeks wasting his time on me, but I had something to lose that greatly outweighed his motives.

I glanced up at him as he set up the board. No, I wasn't going to lose.

* * *

We were fifteen minutes into the game and, despite the sensitive predicament, I was involuntarily enjoying myself. He certainly was a tricky opponent. Twice I'd almost fallen into one of his fatal traps, and it was taking all of my concentration to find the third. I hadn't been this stimulated in a game of Shogi in a long time. His piercing, all-knowing eyes were staring right at me, as though reading every thought in my mind.

"You've improved since last time, I have to give you that."

I flinched at the deliberate jibe, but shrugged my shoulders in response. "Yeah, you could say that. I made more than one move this time."

To my surprise, he chuckled low. "I was surprised that you fell for such an obvious trap that time."

"That makes two of us," I muttered. "I watched you play the whole tournament. I was on the lookout for your infamously subtle double-traps. I saw you use three different ones…" I shut my mouth then, ignoring the way he was studying me curiously.

"Why are you so determined to win?"

I glanced up at him for a moment, and then back at the board. "I just have to."

I moved my chosen piece and then sat back, watching him watch me. Waiting. I had successfully set up one of my winning strategies; now, he had only two choices. One would end in his immediate defeat, while the other would ensure a slow death. My father had taught me this move himself.

He continued to gaze into my eyes when he moved his piece. His red and gold eyes remained impassive… So why was I suddenly nervous?

I looked down at the board, even though every instinct I had was suddenly begging me not to. My eyes widened in disbelief.

"I win." The neutral words confirmed what my eyes were telling me.

I shook my head. "But… How?"

He glanced down at me once, and then turned away. "Don't ever approach me again."

* * *

"You're late again."

I fought the urge to sigh as I hung my jacket up near the door. "I'm sorry, Oba-san. We had a lot of tasks to achieve today."

"You have more important tasks to achieve here." She crossed her arms. "Your uncle is coming home next week. I expect this house to be prepared for him."

I frowned. "So early? I thought Oji-chan wasn't due home for another month."

"That's none of your concern." I stiffened a little at the sharpness in her voice. "He'll be back for a few weeks. Just make sure this place is spotless, I don't have time to pick up after you when I'm working."

"Okay."

Later that night when I tumbled into bed, I reflected on the day's events, and felt my stomach begin to coil. With no one left to help me learn basketball… I was as good as defeated. Chinami, with her superior athletic abilities, would crush me easily. And with a good portion of the school aware of our bet, it would be doubly humiliating…

I finally managed to drift off to sleep, only to find there was a pair of mismatched, blazing-cold eyes waiting for me.

* * *

The next day found me alone again in the library, my head buried in a book, but unable to concentrate on the material. No matter how many times I read the same line, I couldn't process what I was reading. I cast the book aside in frustration and pulled out my phone instead.

' _When do you come back to school?_ '

It was only a minute before Eisuke's reply came. ' _Missing me already, Setsuna-chan? ;)_ '

I smothered my grin. ' _Just wondering how many days of peace I have left._ '

' _Ah, you're so mean, Setsuna-chan! Miyaki-sensei says I can come back in a couple of days. You'll just have to try and manage without me for now…_ '

Opting not to grace that comment with a reply, I began to brainstorm what I should practice this afternoon. Eisuke had taught me the fundamentals, but I was still far from comfortable with them. Today I would work on my stance and dribbling.

That afternoon, I was halfway through my training session when I sensed a presence behind me. I turned and found myself face-to-face with a pair of cold eyes, one red, one orange-gold. I jumped back in surprise.

"Akashi! What are you doing?" How did he sneak up on me like that?

"I've changed my mind."

Confusion had me blinking twice. "What do you mean?"

"I'll train you."

"B-But… Why now? You were totally opposed to it yesterday!"

"I have my reasons." He folded his arms across his chest. "But I'm not doing this for free."

Did he want money? I chewed my bottom lip. That was one thing I didn't have. Working at home everyday and schoolwork left me no time for a job. "I'm sorry, I can't pay you. But I could help you with something else. I can help tutor you…" A red brow lifted derisively. "… Or not."

"I'm the top academic in this school." His voice remained even.

"Right. So if you don't want money or academic help… What –"

"I will help you learn basketball for three more weeks until you face Chinami one-on-one and beat her. After this has been done…" Somehow, his stare became even more intense. "You will disclose to me the information Suzuki Chinami is holding over you. Those are my conditions."

Shock had the ball slipping from my hands. It bounced again and again on the ground, each dull thud filling the silence between us. Had I just heard him right? His eyes were deadly serious, focused on me, noting my reaction.

"No."

He narrowed his eyes. "You would rather the whole school know?"

"No, but…" I shook my head to clear it. "Why do you even care? You'd get nothing out of this arrangement."

"I'm wouldn't be so sure about that," he murmured. I cocked my head in confusion. What did that mean…? My eyes widened in realisation, and terror gripped me.

Did he want to know about my past so he could use it against me?

"Do you want to know so you can –"

"I told you already, I have my reasons," he coolly interrupted. "Now, do you accept my terms?"

There was a war going on inside me. On one hand was the looming threat of Chinami and her promise to make sure the entire school knew about my secret, and on the other was the guarantee of Akashi obtaining the information and taking full advantage of it… I'd never been so torn. I chewed on my bottom lip, my mind in turmoil.

"Stop doing that."

I scowled at him. "Huh? Doing what?"

"Chewing on your lip. It's a repulsive, off-putting habit, similar to biting your nails."

Sheesh. "'Off-putting'?"

He crossed his arms. "What's your answer?"

I stared into his eyes for a moment longer, and sighed in defeat. "Fine. But only after I've won against Chinami. If I fail, then –" Wait. If I failed, he would find out anyway. Another blush crept up my neck. " _Only_ after I win."

His demeanour turned impassive once more. "Of course."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What makes you so sure I will?"

"Because I'm training you," he said, as though he were explaining to a five-year-old that two plus two equals four. "You should know by now, but I'll remind you anyway. I never lose."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

It'd been three days since Akashi began training me, and during that time I believe I'd learned the true meaning of pain. Every afternoon I went to train with muscles that were sore and rigid, forced them to work harder than ever, and returned home on legs that felt like jelly, only to repeat it the next day. When I arrived home, I had to pretend I wasn't in unbearable pain for Oba-san to prevent her from becoming suspicious.

While I forced myself to go through the moves on the court, Akashi would watch me from the side-lines, calmly calling out corrections to my form and berating me for small mistakes. One time, my rhythm faltered mid-dribble and I lost control of the ball. I flinched and waited for his reprimand.

When it hadn't immediately come, I glanced over, a small glimmer of hope flaring inside me. He stood there with his arms crossed and said, "How do you hope to even look your rival in the eye? At the rate you're progressing, you will never win against Chinami."

It had been the beginning of a series of similar confidence shredding comments that he hadn't hesitated to dish out whenever I so much as stepped incorrectly. The whole affair was a vicious cycle that had me tempted to tell Akashi precisely where he could go shove his so-called 'help' –

"Morning, Setsuna-chan!"

I looked up from my book to see a grinning Eisuke standing opposite me, hands on hips. I smiled before I was conscious of the movement, closing my book. "Good morning. How are you?"

He scratched the back of his neck. "Hmm, alright I guess. Ready to get my ass kicked!" He laughed and gave me a thumbs-up.

I grinned evilly. "Good."

His smile quickly faded. "Um… You're looking a little bloodthirsty there, Setsuna-chan."

I shrugged. "I've been subjected to self-confidence deprivation for the past four days." Ever since Akashi had beaten me as Shogi.

"… I don't think I'm going to ask about that." He placed his hands on the table and slowly lowered himself into the seat. At my questioning look, he explained, "It's the cast. Makes it difficult to do anything."

"Sounds like someone I know…"

He clutched his chest as though wounded. "Ah, your words wound me!"

"I wasn't necessarily talking about you," I grumbled under my breath.

We began to play; I noticed he was using the same approach as he had two games before, so I knew that today was going to be another easy win. I fought from sighing in disappointment. I'd wanted more of a challenge… _His_ eyes popped into my head. Yes, I wanted to play him again…

"So have you figured out what you're going to do about basketball training?" When I looked up, he seemed genuinely concerned.

I fiddled with the piece I had chosen. "Well, actually… I found another solution."

"Really? That's great! What is it?"

"…Akashi Seijuro."

Cue the eyes widening. "Akashi? Really?" I nodded. "He agreed to something like that?"

"I can be very persuasive," I mumbled indignantly.

The droll stare he gave me had me narrowing my own eyes. "Setsuna-chan, you may be good at Shogi, but you're no poker player." His eyes caught my fidgeting. "What is it?"

"Well… I kind of persuaded him using Shogi."

" _You_ did? Seriously?" He threw back his head and roared with laughter. "'Cause the last game turned out so well. I bet he crushed you!"

I flushed in outrage. "That's a strong allegation! It was a really close game…"

"But he still beat you?" He grinned knowingly at me. "I'll have to get his autograph when I see him next…"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at that. "Winning isn't important! I nearly had him –"

"I annihilated her," a cool, dispassionate voice interrupted. I spun in my chair. Akashi was standing there, looking down on our game with cool indifference. "Did you bring a spare change of clothes like I asked you?"

I couldn't seem to formulate a reply, so I just nodded meekly. "Good. Don't be late this afternoon." What? I had _never_ been late! He turned his attention to Eisuke. "Good to see you around again, Eisuke-san. I hope you'll be well again before training next month." With that, he promptly left.

I was speechless, an anomaly that Eisuke took full advantage of. "So he's been training you, huh… How's that going for you?"

"It's going very painfully," I muttered.

* * *

We were practicing again in the gym, me working on my – and I quote – 'exceptionally poor shooting skills', and I noticed that Akashi had been silent for a while. When I glanced over to where he'd been standing just a moment ago, there was nothing but empty air.

I frowned and went over to the main door, poking my head out. He was standing with his back to me, talking to a boy with deep green hair and eyes. I huffed loudly, making myself known, and fisted my hands on my hips.

"You're slacking off, Akashi? The deal was to train me – without interruption."

He barely glanced over his shoulder. "This visit wasn't expected. Go back inside and keep practicing. I'll be back in a moment."

I gestured to his acquaintance. "You're not even going to introduce us?"

The green-haired boy adjusted his glasses. "Even I concede that would quite rude, Akashi."

He considered me for a moment. "Setsuna, this is Midorima. He's a basketball player for Shutoku High."

"It's nice to meet you." I nodded to Midorima.

"And you. Are you training to join the basketball team?" I could've sworn there was a note of intrigue in his voice.

Before I could answer, Akashi interrupted me – again. "Koizumi-san foolishly made a bet with one of the schools leading female athletes, Suzuki Chinami. Now she must beat her in a one-on-one."

Now there was definitely interest in Midorima's green gaze. "Indeed. Since Akashi-san has deemed it necessary to train you, I assume the foundations are reasonably grounded?"

Akashi glanced down at me as he replied, "In her eyes, I'm sure that is the case."

As anger rapidly began to surface, Midorima noticeably sent Akashi a strange look, as if surprised by his words. I cut in before he mentioned anything else that might lead this conversation in a direction I most definitely did not want it to go. "It's not as hopeless as he makes out. Akashi has agreed to train me; If he's as good as he seems to think, then I'm sure I'll be alright."

He coughed once and glanced down at Seijuro, who had surreptitiously folded his arms, and cleared his throat uncomfortably. "How's it going?"

"Dreadfully," Akashi answered, face neutral. "She has next to no skill, and hardly any feel for the ball. She can't make a single shot, though we've been going at it all afternoon."

I bristled and glared at him. "Well, if you'd actually show _properly_ me instead of uselessly insulting me from the side-lines and offering nothing but vague instructions, maybe you'd see some progress!" My body fairly shook with fury. "What kind of coach are you anyway?"

"I'm not your coach."

I was about to snap a reply when something Midorima had said before registered. "Wait… Midorima, you said you were on the basketball team in your school?" There was no mistaking the hopeful tone in my voice.

Akashi sighed softly at the same time Midorima tensed and reluctantly mumbled an affirmative.

I purposely beamed up at him. "That's so cool, Midorima-san! Um, do you think you could help me with something? It won't take long I promise…" Anything to escape Akashi's brutal teachings.

"Why didn't you ask him so nicely when I introduced you?" Akashi murmured.

"It only just registered." I continued to plead with Midorima. "Midorima-san, you could teach me something useful."

"I seriously doubt that." He adjusted his glasses again and sighed. "But I suppose a little extra help couldn't hurt. Come."

He led the way back into the gym, and I happily darted after him. When I reached the door I glanced back at Akashi, who still hadn't budged from his stance, and stuck my tongue out. He narrowed his eyes threateningly, but I was already gone.

"You mentioned you were learning to shoot?"

"Yes…"

"Alright. Watch carefully." He chose a ball from the pile and eyed the basket.

I frowned. "Wait! Aren't you going to get closer?"

He glanced down at me once, and then in a seemingly effortless coordination of movement, he cradled the ball in his hands and jumped. At the apex of his jump he released the ball, and it went sailing through the air in an unbelievably high arc. He turned to me and pushed up his glasses. The swish of the net filled the stunned silence.

From the entrance, Akashi made a sound of derision. "You're showing off, Shintarou."

"I… almost can't believe what I just saw," I murmured in disbelief. I turned to Akashi. "Can you do that too?"

Midorima scoffed. "He only wishes."

"Such a theatrical talent holds no appeal for me."

"Midorima-san," I said, grabbing a ball, "Can you show me how to do that?"

"Alright… You might want to get a little bit closer to the hoop."

I gave him a droll stare. "So you were showing off." He went rigid, and I heard a muffled noise leave Akashi.

"Just go and stand in front of the hoop before I change my mind."

Midorima began to teach me the correct way to hold the ball and release it while jumping. It still took me a while to make a hoop, during which time he made constant corrections to my stance, the depth of my crouch, and my grip on the ball. I couldn't help but notice that he was a bit of a perfectionist…

Finally, I managed to make a decent shot, and when the ball went in, I couldn't help myself; I whooped and punched the air in victory. Midorima cocked a brow and Akashi sighed in resignation.

"You look ridiculous when you do that. It's very unfeminine."

That was _twice_ I'd been told that now! I spun and pointed a finger at him. "You're such an insensitive ass! You shouldn't say things like that to a girl!"

"Do it again," Midorima hurriedly interjected before things got heated.

Grumbling, I grabbed the ball and concentrated on all the things Midorima had corrected me on. Taking a deep breath, I relaxed my stance and crouched, and then sprung, releasing the ball at the maximum height. It sailed high and true, and before my eyes, went through the hoop.

My fist was clenched and halfway to the top of my head –

"What did I just say?"

I glared at Akashi and mumbled insults under my breath.

"That was better," Midorima commented. "But the ball still clipped the edge of the hoop. If you had been even a fraction of a centimetre off in your stance, you would have missed."

He continued to give me advice for a few minutes, and then glanced down at a pocket-watch he'd just pulled from his pants. "I have to leave soon. I'm meeting a friend."

"That's alright. We were almost finished here anyway," Akashi said.

"We were?" I glanced at Midorima. "What's the time, Midorima-san?"

"It's nearly four thirty."

I grimaced in horror. "I have to be home in fifteen minutes! Akashi, why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm your teacher, not your personal pocket-watch. You should be calling me Sensei." He pushed off the wall and came over to help pack up.

"I'll call you sensei the day my body shrivels in the ground!" I was slightly flustered and at that moment, not responsible for what was coming out of my mouth.

He turned and glared at me, those intense red and orange-gold eyes turning icy. "That day may come sooner than you think –"

Midorima sighed. "You two fight like an old couple. It's tedious." He turned to me. "Setsuna-san, which way is your home?" While we grabbed our bags and headed to the main door, I told him the general area, and he nodded thoughtfully. "I'm heading that way as well. We will escort you part of the way home."

I looked at Akashi, who was standing with his back to us. "We? Are you meeting someone as well, Akashi-san?"

"No. I live around there."

"Huh?!" Suddenly I was outraged. "What, you're too good to walk home with me?"

He shrugged. "An hour and a half per day is enough for me. Not to mention I don't walk home. Ever."

I gestured at the red-haired boy. "You see what I have to deal with every day, Midorima-san? He's so rude to me…" A thought occurred to me. "How did you guys meet anyway?"

They glanced at each other; Akashi completely neutral, Midorima thoughtful. There was silence for a minute while we walked until, "You've heard of the Generation of Miracles, right?"

"Yes," I replied knowledgeably. "They were a generation of middle-school students who exhibited incredible physical talent in basketball, especially for their age. They're rumoured to be an unstoppable team that won the junior-high-school National competition for three years in a row. I hear about them from others, but I've never seen them in action." I glanced up at Midorima, only to find him gazing down at Akashi in astonishment. "Why? Did you meet at one of their games?"

He considered me for a moment, then sighed and adjusted his glasses. "Something like that…"


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:**

If you've made it up until now, thank you for reading and staying with me. I've been reading over my writing and made some corrections myself, but I would appreciate some feedback from others as well, especially with my characters. I'm always looking to improve my writing!

I hope you enjoy the rest of this story as much as I did whilst writing it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko's Basketball.

* * *

 **Chapter Six**

I hurried into the library, hoping to find Eisuke waiting for me, and for once, he was.

"Morning –!"

"Did you know that Akashi was a member of the Generation of Miracles?" I talked right over him, my voice high.

He blinked in surprise. "Um, yeah. Who doesn't know that?"

"Me!" I pointed to myself. "I had no idea! Why didn't you ever mention it? I looked like a complete fool yesterday when another member came along and realised I had no idea who'd been training me for the past week –"

"You met another one?" he asked excitedly. "Which one was it? The one with the blue hair? I heard he's unstoppable on the court."

I shook my head. "It was Midorima Shintaro."

He frowned. "The green-haired one?" I nodded. "Wow! What was he like? I hear his shooting is impeccable! No one can stop him once he has the ball… Except Akashi, of course, but he's the exception to every rule. In fact," he mused, "He probably makes the rules."

"Of course he does. ' _He is absolute_ '," I quoted, using my fingers for speech marks.

"Huh?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. Just something he likes to remind me of every time I disagree with him." I gazed at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Midorima-san was… Odd. He seemed nice, but really rigid; he kept correcting every mistake I made. And he carried this weird pocket-watch around."

"His lucky item," Eisuke breathed in awe.

My eyebrows lifted. "His what?"

"Apparently he carries around varying lucky items mentioned by the Oha Asa horoscopes. No one knows why, guess he's just paranoid. And he keeps his left hand bandaged to make sure nothing hinders his shots."

I thought back to yesterday, and recalled seeing his bandaged fingers. "Huh."

Eisuke shook his head as he set up the board. "I never really had the nerve to confirm it with Akashi, but apparently the Generation of Miracles were so good that they scored points for their opposing team once, just to keep the score the same!"

I gaped in horror. "Seriously? Who would be that cruel?"

* * *

"Koizumi-san," the light, chilling voice called out. "How do you hope to get around your opponent when you keep dribbling the ball on your feet?"

"Sorry," I muttered, desperately trying to concentrate. I blew out a breath and tried the routine again. I began to dribble, imagining Chinami in front of me, smirking at me. Silently threatening me, promising retribution.

I faked to the right, then spun and made a drive for the inside. No good. She was faster, blocking my path, arms out and that smirk still in place. I huffed and raised the ball over my head, ready to shoot, but that too wasn't possible. She was taller, could jump higher, and would certainly block my shot. I dropped back into my stance, considering my options.

I'd have to fake a cross. I knew there was no way I was ready for such a manoeuvre; I could barely dribble effectively. But… _No use doing all this training unless I push myself!_

I bounced the ball from my right to my left, inclining my body in that direction. When she leaned that way, I quickly bounced it back into my right and spun away, dribbling, running for the hoop. I'd made it five steps before I lost my rhythm again and the ball fell on my foot. I had to hop a few times to keep from falling on my face. "Dammit!"

A small sigh made me glance over at Akashi. "You're not focusing hard enough."

"I am! I'm trying my best."

He shook his head. "No, you're distracted. What's causing this?" I scuffed at the ground with my shoe and shrugged. His voice became impatient. "Just say it so you can get over it and back to training."

I bristled. "Fine. I was thinking… I've heard about the other members of the Generation of Miracles' abilities. One who can copy anything he observes after a single play, one who's so big he can stop any play and score at any time, another whose basketball style is totally unpredictable and unstoppable, and then Midorima-san…" I glanced up at him. "But I don't understand yours. What exactly is it you do?"

He considered me for a moment. "You missed one."

I scowled. "No, I didn't; I researched them all last night." I blushed the moment the words were out of my mouth.

Akashi shook his head, ignoring my embarrassing reveal. "There was another. Surely you've heard of the Phantom Sixth Man?" I shook my head. "He wasn't a starter, but he may as well have been. He was always there if we needed him, otherwise fading into the background…"

He crossed his arms. "As for my strengths, I don't care to reveal much about them to others. However, I will tell you this." His searing gaze suddenly became even more so, and I automatically took a step back. "I try to avoid using them; if I am pushed to rely on them, the game always ends quickly."

When he saw my widened eyes, he turned away and grabbed another ball. "That rarely happens. Only once before have I been forced that far." He threw it to me. "Does that satisfy your curiosity?"

I considered his words, and then nodded. "Somewhat."

"Good. I have a question of my own to ask you."

I couldn't help but tense. "What is it?"

"What is your relationship with Oshiro Eisuke?"

"…What do you mean?"

He kept his voice casual. "He seems very attached to you. Do you return his feelings?"

"No!" I burst out. I was getting sick of everyone assuming we were a couple! "He's my friend, that's all! Why would you think that?"

He tilted his head, considering. "Perhaps… because you're always smiling when you're with him."

"Well, if you smiled once in a while, maybe I'd return the favour!" My voice was a little sharper than intended.

Akashi continued to stare at me for a moment, and then gestured to the hoop. "I've answered your questions. Now get back to training."

"Wait..." I thought back to what Eisuke told me in the library. "I have one more question." He glowered and I assured hurriedly, "It would help me concentrate better if you answered it."

"Fine."

I eyed the ball in my hands and rotated it around nervously. "Do you… Do you enjoy basketball?"

When there was silence, I looked up questioningly. He was staring at me with slightly widened eyes. Surprised, and a little perturbed, I shuffled in place and muttered, "What?" He continued to stare, so much I became worried. "Did I say something wrong?"

He shook his head slowly. "No." But from the way he lowered his gaze, I knew I'd hit a nerve.

"Well, um… do you?"

He sighed and quickly regained his composure. "It doesn't matter whether I enjoy it or not. What matters is that I win."

I frowned. "But what's the point of winning something you don't even enjoy?"

"Victory is important, not the personal satisfaction you get from the sport. What meaning is there in playing basketball without the intent to win?" His eyes narrowed. "It's utterly pointless."

"But I don't –"

"Enough questions!" He snapped suddenly, causing me to jump. He'd never actually raised his voice at me before. "At this rate, Suzuki is going to crush you and your dignity, and if you don't show any improvement by the end of the week, I'll be tempted to let her."

* * *

"Stupid Akashi," I muttered to myself as I scrubbed at a particularly stubborn stain on the ground. "He thinks he's _sooo_ good! I bet he lied about being the top academic of the school." I paused. "Or… he cheated. Probably sweet-talked the teacher's into telling him what was on the exams… Yeah, that had to be it. _'What matters is that I win'_ , huh?" I punctuated each word with a vicious twist of my elbow. "Logic… Capacity… Of… A… Squirrel!"

I spent the remainder of the night spitting insults of a similar nature while I worked, going over every spot of dirt I saw, ensuring the house was tidy for Oji-chan when he arrived home tomorrow. In spite of my sour mood, I was excited for his arrival; it had been three months since he'd left for work.

Another bonus was that Oba-san wouldn't be finishing work until later tonight, and would have to leave early in the morning to meet Oji-chan at the airport. The thought had me scrubbing a little more vigorously.

Finally I called it a night, and when I collapsed on my bed, I was utterly exhausted. I reflected on my day as I waited for sleep to take me.

Unbidden, an image of Akashi from this afternoon came into my mind. He was staring at me with those cold, intense eyes, his face completely neutral. " _Playing without the intent to obtain victory is pointless_."

I scowled at the ceiling. His way of thinking was similar to mine, at the same time it was completely different. I lived for the victory, but also thoroughly enjoyed the struggle, especially if I was passionate about it. How could he be so cold toward something that was clearly _his_ passion? No one could be that good at basketball without a strong, heartfelt desire to learn more about it…

 _It doesn't matter! Go to sleep already!_

I rolled over in frustration and punched my pillow, closing my eyes determinedly. _Sleep, sleep, sleep…_

" _What is your relationship with Oshiro Eisuke?"_

"Gaaahhh!"

* * *

"Hey, Setsuna-chan! Stop zoning out on me!"

"Huh?" I blinked groggily up at Eisuke. "What did you say?"

He threw his hands into the air. "Ah, I can't work with this! I just asked you, for the third time, if you can go over there and get Tachibana-san's number for me?"

I glared daggers at him. "There's no way I'd do something like that for you. I don't even know her."

"That doesn't matter!" he insisted. "You're a girl; it wouldn't be weird if you asked for it. I'd look like a pervert if I asked her…"

"Imagine that."

Eisuke was definitely glaring at me, but I wasn't paying attention, because all of a sudden, my eyes had caught a flash of red… and black.

Akashi was in the seat he'd occupied the one time I'd seen him in here, making conversation with a girl who had stopped by his table. He smiled at something she said, and mouthed a reply that made her giggle.

I rolled my eyes. _Laying it on a bit thick, aren't we, Seijuro?_ For some reason, I was more than a little annoyed.

I watched them chat together, Akashi smiling politely and nodding, the black-haired girl giggling the whole time, the way they looked into each other's eyes…

Wait. There was something off. Akashi was smiling… but his eyes were completely devoid of emotion. Even more so than when he was talking to me. As though he was getting zero enjoyment from the conversation. I felt a flare of satisfaction.

Eisuke's loud voice boomed in my ears. "Earth to Setsuna! Come in, Setsuna!"

I jumped in my chair, and Akashi looked right at me. My breath stilled, but not from embarrassment. For a split second, when his head whipped around and his eyes locked onto mine, there had been a flare of awareness… Or something. The flicker of light playing across them made it seem like they had come to life somehow.

For just a moment, his oddly coloured eyes were –

An exasperated sigh had me pinning Eisuke with a venomous glower. "What?"

He shrugged. "If you're gonna stare at the guy, at least be a little less obvious about it."

"I wasn't staring," I growled.

"Yes, you were."

"Ugh, why are you so annoying?" I glanced up at the clock. "Come on, it's time to go."

"But wait –!"

"The game's finished, _baka_. I beat you two moves ago –"

"You still have to get me that girl's number!"

* * *

Sweat dripped down my back as I grasped my knees and tried to focus on my breathing. I swiped a hand across my soaked forehead. My legs were shaking from exertion, arms useless as spaghetti. I'd officially had it; I couldn't give anymore…

"Why are you stopping?"

"Because," I gasped, turning to glare at Akashi, "I'm exhausted! I can't – run – anymore."

He folded his arms. "You'll run as long as I tell you to run. My –"

"'My will is absolute'," I imitated, rolling my eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I know. And I thought you said you _weren't_ my coach –"

A hand grasped me under my chin and forced my head up and around. I cried out in surprise, a pair of red and orange-gold eyes meeting mine. I swallowed, and his hand tightened.

"Don't mock me," he breathed. "Nobody takes words from my mouth without regretting it afterwards." I struggled slightly, but his grip only tightened. I grunted from the pain and glared menacingly at him. His head tilted slightly. "I think I like it better when you can't talk."

I tried to say, "Let go of me, you pervert," but with his fierce grip on my jaw, it came out sounding more like, "Lehgowumeyoperver."

He appraised me for a moment. "I think I should let you face Chinami on your own and suffer a humiliating defeated in front of the entire school, then let her freely spread your secret to every member of the student-body… It'd be much simpler for me to get what I want."

My eyes widened in disbelief, then narrowed in defiance. I jerked my head back, finally releasing my chin from his surprisingly strong grasp. "Why don't you then?" I challenged, refusing to back down. "I've been contemplating this since the first day, but I was too scared to ask you, thinking you'd realise the idea was more favourable than training me. Now I want to know. Why did you stick around? Why didn't you just do what you're threatening to do? Either way, you'd get what you want."

When he didn't reply, I crossed my arms and raised my chin. "Did you do it because you cared about me? Did you want to see me succeed?"

His eyes widened ever-so-slightly so that for a minute, I thought he would agree. Something unknown fluttered in my chest. My stomach tightened, though not unpleasantly, and I could feel my face starting to heat up –

A soft chuckle had me gazing up at him in shock. It was the first time I'd ever heard him laugh.

"W-What's funny –"

"Oh, you'd like to think that, wouldn't you, Setsuna?" He abruptly ceased his chuckles, the unsettling mirth fading from his eyes. "Above all others, you were the one who could capture the attention of the most eligible bachelor in school. You'd like to think you were special… Although for a moment, I thought you might have been different from the rest. But, unsurprisingly, I see you are just like everyone who has come before you."

He leaned down, his mouth tantalisingly close to my cheek. His breath whispered across my neck, and I shivered, my eyes wide and unseeing. "Why did you think I was helping you? No, tell me. I'm sure it would amuse me." He shifted back, his terrible, mesmerising gaze meeting mine. "Did you think I secretly liked you?"

When silence met his answer, his lips stretched into a cold smirk. "Hmm… Sorry to crush your little fantasy, but I'm afraid my motives were much simpler than that. I wanted to obtain the information Suzuki had on you, that had so much power over you, so that I would have it… And no other."

His fingertips rested lightly on my cheek. "And one day, I would use that hold over you for whatever purpose."

Finally, he stopped talking. There was a roaring in my head that drowned out every sound except his voice. I couldn't think, couldn't breathe… This was like every nightmare I'd ever had come to life.

"You're looking a little pale, Setsuna –"

The ringing sound of my hand slapping his arm away echoed throughout the gym. I stared straight ahead, at the writing on his jersey, and stepped back. Without a word, I walked past him to my bag, not stopping on my way out the door.

There was nothing but silence to accompany me all the way home.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

I stumbled into my house in a daze, mechanically removing my shoes and placing them near the door. I removed my jacket and carefully hung it on the rack. For some reason, I felt as though there was something I was forgetting… Had I remembered all my books?

I walked into the dining room, frowning at the floor.

"Hello there, Setsuna-chan."

I glanced up to see my uncle sitting at the table, legs crossed, smiling up at me with warmth. My breath hitched. It had been months since I'd seen that welcoming smile… Against my will, tears filled my eyes.

I quickly blinked them away and returned his grin. "Oji-chan! How was your trip?"

"Good! How has everything been here?"

I sat down opposite him, and as we began to chat, I had to prevent myself from launching into his arms. It felt as though I hadn't seen a family member in a long time… Which was absurd, since I was living with one. Perhaps it was just the notion of comfort that I was missing.

I told him about my academic results, but he waved his hand and insisted that he wanted to hear more about my schooling life. I grinned at him and launched into my activities for the past month, telling him about the first time I met Eisuke and how I continued to beat him at Shogi. When he asked if I had made other friends, I had a brief moment of panic.

"Uh… y-yeah! I met a girl named Chinami who's really good at sports…"

He smiled happily. "Really? Chinami who? I might know her family through business."

"Um –"

"Setsuna!"

I looked up to see Oba-san standing in the doorway, gazing down at me in what could only be described as contempt. My gratitude quickly turned to unease. "Y-yes?"

"Why are you so late?" There was barely-concealed anger in her voice.

"I told you, Oba-san, I have a school project due in a couple of weeks. We had to spend a little extra time on it today…" I tried to make my voice placating.

"Setsuna… why do you lie to me?"

My uncle was glancing back and forth between us in puzzlement. Awareness trickled down my spine. Had she somehow found out about my daily activities? "Oba-san, I don't know what you're saying –"

"I called the school today after I arrived home at five o'clock and found you not here, wondering where you were… Imagine my surprise when I was informed there was no group activity in the teaching plan?" She narrowed her eyes at me, and I shrunk back.

Uncle was staring at me in surprise. "Setsuna, you've been lying to your Oba-san about your whereabouts after school? That's dangerous. What if something happened and we didn't know where you were?"

"I-I'm really sorry –"

"She lies so she doesn't have to do her chores! You think you can just ignore your obligations to this family? You live under this roof as well!" My aunt's voice rapidly became raised.

"Aito, please calm down. I'm sure there's a good reason for this." He faced me and frowned slightly, face disappointed. My heart thudded against my chest at the look he gave me. "Setsuna-chan, what's this I'm hearing? Skipping out on your chores, not telling Oba-san where you've been? What's going on with you?"

I was shaking my head back and forth. "No, that's not true! Oba-chan, I've been getting all my chores done when I come back from school, I swear. I'm sorry I lied to you about the group assignment, but I have been staying back at school for other reasons."

"More lies!" she exclaimed. "I can't trust anything that comes out of your mouth. There's nothing you can say; I already know what you've done. You've been cavorting around the school with some boy!"

I blinked. "W-What? No, I haven't!"

"I've heard all about it at work; Koizumi Setsuna spending all her free time with a student by the name of Oshiro Eisuke!"

As much as I wanted to avoid an argument, I couldn't take any more of this sitting down. I stood up to face her, balling my hands into fists. "Who told you such an absurd thing? He's just a friend!"

From the way her chest inflated like a balloon, I knew I'd made a mistake; there was no stopping her tirade now.

"How dare you tarnish the Kurosawa family name in such a way? You've destroyed the hard-earned reputation your uncle has fought to uphold, even after your parents almost ruined everything!" She glared down at me critically. "I've tried my best to raise you in the way a child should be raised, but my efforts have been in vain. Besides your father's overly flashy red hair, it seems you've inherited his unfortunate ability to destroy everything you touch, and to not take responsibility for anything! Even your mother, despite all her charms, could barely take responsibility for her own child. And then she had to go and get herself killed, leaving you here!"

She finally fell silent, breathing slightly hard. I stepped back and continued to stare at her for a moment, stunned. I looked at my uncle, who was gazing at both of us with wide eyes. "Aren't you going to say something?" When he just blinked at me, I shook my head in disgust. "You… won't even defend your deceased sister's memory?"

I tilted my head and faced my aunt again. "You have no right to criticise my parents when you hardly even knew them. I won't hear any more of this from you."

"I have every right!" She gestured to my uncle. "Every day, all I heard was the phone line ringing with your mother on the other end, ready to pester your uncle with more of her incessant nonsense. As if we didn't have our own problems! Your mother knew that, but it didn't stop her at all! And then, just when I thought it was finally over, I realised the biggest problem was yet to come!"

I had never experienced such rage in my entire life. In the back of my mind, I knew that I should be the more level-headed one in this situation, but I'd been pushed too far. I'd officially snapped.

My aunt was standing between the door and me. "Get out of my way, you bitch!" I marched straight through her, knocking her out of the way and into the wall with all my strength.

She shrieked in outrage and lunged for me, but I was already running, tearing straight for the front door. My breath was clogged in my lungs; if I stayed here any longer, I feared it might never leave.

The cool night air was like a slap in the face as I slammed the door behind me, but I didn't stop running. I ran down the street, not knowing where my feet were taking me, not caring. I soon found myself at the park the window in my room overlooked, and slowed to a jog.

I didn't want to think about what had just happened, but my aunt's furious face haunted my brain. Her words… Now that I was alone, each one rang through my mind and left a small wound on my heart. " _It seems you've inherited your parent's unfortunate ability to destroy everything you touch._ " I shook my head back and forth. "Not true."

Another face surfaced to the forefront of my mind. A face so hauntingly familiar, so beautifully comforting, that before I knew it, tears were rolling down my cheeks. I gasped and collapsed under the nearest tree, sobbing. "No. It's not true. I won't believe it… Oka-chan…" Another face. I cried out. "Oto-chan… I'm sorry…"

For the first time in three years, I'd allowed myself to picture their faces. I couldn't believe the forceful rush of emotions. Now that they were alive again in my heart, memories came rushing back in a wave of pent-up anguish.

I bowed under the onslaught, praying for it to be over.

* * *

"Setsuna-san! Hey! Setsuna-san!" I felt someone grab my shoulders to shake me forcefully.

I slowly lifted my head off my arms and blinked. My vision was so blurry; it took me a full minute before I could process who was kneeling in front of me. "What?"

Midorima's eyes were wide, although I couldn't figure out why. "Are you alright?"

Automatically I nodded, but when I did, my neck creaked stiffly. I groaned, and realised that my voice was sore and croaky. When I tried to swallow, my mouth was so thick I had to try a few times.

"What happened?" There was definitely concern in his voice.

"I – I don't know…" Something shifted through the haze of my mind. A face… I made a small sound in the back of my throat and grabbed my head.

He instantly grasped both of my shoulders. "Oi! Did someone hurt you?" I shook my head. "Why aren't you at home? It's dark out."

"I can't go there," I quickly replied, shaking my head – and instantly regretted it when it throbbed.

"Are you… in trouble at home?"

"No…"

Midorima blew out a breath of frustration and pushed up his glasses with his bandaged hand. "Is there someone you're waiting for?" I shook my head no. "You're alone?" He was appalled when I nodded. "What in the world are you thinking, _baka_? A girl shouldn't be out this late by herself."

I flinched at the sudden volume of his voice and closed my eyes tightly. "Please don't shout." I rested my head on my forearms again.

"Is she okay, Shin-chan?"

"Yes. Just shaken up, I think."

A sigh of relief. "Good. I can't stand it when girls cry…"

"That's because you're an idiot."

"Huh? Shin-chan, I'm the point guard –!"

"Midorima. Please step back." That voice.

I heard the shuffling of footsteps, and then felt a presence beside me. "Setsuna." I buried my face more. The tone turned commanding. "Look at me."

Unable to disobey, I raised my head, but avoided the eyes. He sighed and I saw him shake his head.

"Why are you here?" I croaked.

"Shintarou called saying something was wrong."

I glanced up at Midorima, who was gazing down at us impassively. "Why did you do that, Midorima-san?"

"You wouldn't respond when I tried to talk to you. I thought you were ill, or worse. You needed help, and I couldn't think of anyone else to call."

"Anyone but him," I muttered.

Midorima seemed confused. "Did… something happen between you?"

"No," Akashi replied at the same time I grumbled, "Yes."

He was glancing back and forth between us, and his friend was standing back awkwardly. Out of the corner of my eye, Akashi was staring at me, but I avoided his eyes.

I cleared my throat. "Thank you for taking care of me, Midorima-san, but you don't have to stay. The same for you, Akashi. I'm fine. Sorry for wasting your time."

There was a beat of silence, and then Akashi straightened from his crouch and began to walk away. I laid my head back down on my arms, lacking the energy to care.

I heard Midorima's friend – what was his name again? – sputter in surprise, and the sound of footsteps. "Akashi!" It was Midorima. "Where are you going?"

"You heard her," that cool voice replied. "She says she's fine, then she is."

"She is clearly not fine!" he whispered furiously. "It's almost dark, getting cold. She's still in her school uniform." His voice lowered to a quiet whisper my mind had trouble processing. "… what's going on… didn't you see her face?"

I could almost visualise his careless shrug. "She should have gone home." When silence met his words, he continued in an impatient tone, "Why did you call me out here, Shintarou? You could have handled the situation yourself. As you know, I'm an extremely busy person."

Again silence permeated the air, and I wished they would all leave. I just wanted to stay here, in this peaceful moment, a little longer…

"Akashi." Midorima's voice was filled with quiet censure. "What's going on with you? I know that when you see someone in distress, your natural instinct would be to assist them, not turn your back on them."

"There's nothing odd about it. I simply don't have time to sit here and listen to her cry. When you told me something was wrong, I assumed you meant she was in danger. That is the extent of my generosity."

I glanced up in time to see Midorima turn away from him and walk over, crouching down in front of me. I blinked at him and tried to manage a smile. "It's okay, Midorima-san. Really. Please don't let me disturb you… I just need a minute…"

He closed his eyes and sighed in exasperation, pushing his glasses up his nose. When he opened them, they seemed a tad warmer. "Come on. Let's go get something to eat so you can warm up."

He stood and held his hand out to me. I stared at it for a moment, not wanting to move, but then sighed and reached for it.

Another hand suddenly appeared out of nowhere and snagged my out-stretched wrist, yanking me up by it. I gasped in surprise and staggered a bit. Akashi was facing away from me, dragging me along behind him like a dog on a leash. I glanced back at Midorima to find him staring after us with a neutral expression – as though he wasn't the least surprised by Akashi's sudden appearance – and pleaded at him with my eyes.

Akashi yanked on my wrist, making me face frontward again. "What are you doing, Akashi?"

"You got what you wanted, right?" His voice was lower than usual. He shot me a look of mild anger that betrayed the volcano lurking beneath. "I'm right where you want me, appearing at your beck-and-call. I bet I'm fulfilling your every fantasy right now."

I gasped in outrage and tried to yank my hand back. "Damn you, Akashi! I never wanted you here." Something slightly important occurred to me. "Where are we going?"

He looked back at me once. "My house."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

I fought Akashi the whole way to his house, but I was already exhausted from the afternoon and didn't provide much of a challenge. He never said a word to me, continuing resolutely forward.

"Ak-kashi, s-slow down," I chattered.

"You're freezing. We should hurry."

I groaned in fatigue. "B-But my legs are s-s-sore." He didn't comment, and I let it go, concentrating instead on keeping up. We continued to walk for a few minutes in silence.

He abruptly stopped, causing me to run into him. He was standing before a large gate that required a security code to open. I glanced up at the house itself… And almost gasped aloud.

Before I had a chance to comment, Akashi was pulling me through the side-gate and over to the massive front door, which he opened with ease. When I stepped in I couldn't stop the gasp this time; it was absolutely _huge_.

He barely gave me a chance to take it in before he was once again pulling me after him. We went down a hallway, up a flight of stairs, hastened along another hallway, and finally stopped before what I assumed was a closet. When I glanced at him questioningly, he opened the door to reveal a multitude of fluffy white towels stacked neatly on top of each other. He chose one from the top of the pile and handed it to me.

A slight blush entered my cheeks, but I refused to show any outward surprise. Akashi began leading me down the hallway again to stop before another door. He finally turned to me and said, "Take a shower. Don't worry about how long you take, just try and get warm." He pointed to the door at the end of the hall. "That's my room. When you're done, knock, wait for me to say enter, and then come in."

Now the blush was definitely noticeable. He wanted me to go in his _room_?

 _His_ room?

"N-No! Can't we go somewhere else?"

He gave me a look. "Not when my father doesn't know there's a stranger creeping around his house, and I want to keep it that way."

"Why?" I narrowed my eyes. " Too ashamed to introduce me to your Dad?"

When he just stared down at me, I scoffed and stepped into the bathroom, closing the door in his face. I might have been acting ungrateful, but his words from this afternoon still smarted.

" _For a moment, I thought you might have been different from the rest. But, unsurprisingly, I see you are just like everyone who has come before you."_

I shook my head, dismissing it from my mind, and turned on one of the double-headed showers. While I was waiting for it to heat, I slowly stripped off. My muscles were definitely sore; not just from my afternoon, I realised, but also from being cold for a long time. I thought back to my experience in the park, and made a mental note to thank Midorima again the next time I saw him.

* * *

As promised, I knocked on his door, waiting for him to say enter before I let myself in – not that I needed his instruction to practice such basic etiquette.

When I entered, I thought for a moment that I had the wrong room. It was easily three times the size of mine; complete with every kind of furnishing you could possibly imagine a bedroom to have. The carpet was soft against my feet, and against the left wall – which I swore was trimmed in golden patterning – was a large wooden desk that had a single book and pen on top. Soft golden lights illuminated the room, casting intimate shadows and putting emphasis on clearly the most dominant feature of the room; Akashi's massive four-poster bed.

Just looking at it made my face burn; I quickly averted my gaze and cast about for him. He was sitting in a lounge chair in the far corner, a small bookcase next to him, a book in his hands. He'd glanced up when I entered, noting my not-so-subtle inspection of his personal space.

I cleared my throat, which was still slightly hoarse. "Nice room you have here." When he didn't reply, I asked "Are all the rooms in your house this big?"

"No." When silence ensued, he asked softly, "Did you enjoy your shower?"

I nodded. "Thank you."

"I gathered." He glanced back down at his book. "You took long enough."

I inflated with anger. "Y-You told me I could spend as long as I wanted in there!"

He didn't reply, and while he read, I sighed and took the opportunity to wander his room whilst attempting to seem uninterested. I made my way over to his desk, glancing at his open book. He'd obviously been doing maths homework before receiving the call from Midorima. Curious, I read over the notes written in his perfect writing, mentally re-calculating his every step, looking for a mistake.

"Are you trying to cheat?"

I blushed red, but refused to turn around. "No. I've already finished this homework."

"Really?" There was intrigue in his voice. "I wonder how that could be, seeing as though we only received this today?"

Excessive blushing. "I did it this afternoon, when I got home."

"Oh, you had time for that after practice? Along with all the crying you were doing?"

My hands clenched into fists, and I growled, "I did it at lunch, too."

His tone attained a hint of mockery. "Of course... The same lunch you spent playing Shogi with Oshiro?"

I spun to face him, my face beetroot-red. "What are you, a stalker?"

"No. Simply observant."

I wasn't buying his innocent routine. I narrowed my eyes. "What are you reading?"

He sighed. "If you must know… Jane Austin's ' _Pride and Prejudice_ '."

"Seriously?" The fact that he was reading one of my favourite classics perplexed me. "You read old-English?"

When he nodded, I walked over and took the seat opposite him. "How do you like it so far?"

"I find the main character incredibly taxing"

I was surprised. "Taxing?"

"That's right. To constantly see the world from her frustratingly naïve point of view… Her father's just as bad, despite his age."

I frowned, annoyed. Mr Bennet was my favourite character. "What do you mean naïve? She's incredibly mature; more so than any of her other sisters. And her father loves her. What's wrong with that?"

"He pampers Elizabeth more than any of his other children, which to me, is not a very convincing display of love." His compelling eyes finally met mine above the book. "Personally, I find Jane more… agreeable."

Now I was definitely annoyed. "Agreeable, huh? How so?"

His red and orange-gold eyes were carefully measuring my reaction. "Elizabeth Bennet has a slight case of what is known as the Tall Poppy syndrome; this is where –"

"I know what Tall Poppy syndrome is," I cut in, a bite to my voice.

Akahi stared at me, and I bit my lip. When his gaze latched there and narrowed, I quickly released it, and he continued, "By slight I mean that she purposely holds herself higher than her other sisters, thinking them simple-minded, but there is no one to bring her down from her narcissism. Hence the cause behind my aversion for her father."

"Narcissism? Elizabeth holds herself higher than her sisters because they _are_ simple-minded," I defended hotly. "Lydia especially is a pathetic excuse for a daughter. And her father –"

"It is his responsibility to care for his daughters, no matter the manner. His encouragement of Elizabeth's behaviour would realistically have prevented her from ever finding a husband." He closed the book with a snap. "Jane Bennet, however, is a more fitting example of a suitable wife in the eighteenth century. She is passive, feminine, polite, and most of all, content. This makes her smarter, more adaptable."

On some level, I knew I shouldn't have been surprised at the conclusion Akashi had arrived at; he was a cynical person. Still, it was difficult to maintain an even tone. "So what you're saying is that a woman should be completely docile and not aim to achieve anything for herself?"

"Not at all." His voice was calm, his gaze appraising.

"But you just said –"

"That in the eighteenth century, that was what was expected of a woman. Desired, even." He cocked his head. "Why are you getting so worked up about this?"

"I'm not worked up," I grumbled. When a red brow lifted, I scoffed. "You know, you remind me of someone from that book."

"I hope you're not about to compare me to that imbecile, Fitzwilliam Darcy. He was by far the worst character in the whole novel."

"Oh no," I murmured sweetly. "That's not who I was talking about, although I suppose in some ways you're like him."

His eyes narrowed. "Whom are you referring to then?"

I leaned my head against my hand and blinked at him. "Mrs Bennet. She upholds virtually the same ideals as you, and she certainly loves all of her daughters equally; except Elizabeth, of course. She somewhat shares your dislike of poor Elizabeth."

He was staring at me from under his lashes, face completely devoid of emotion; definitely a sign that something bad was going down in his head.

 _I should learn to censor what I say more…_

Quickly casting about for a way to divert the conversation, my eyes landed on a familiar board on the table behind me. I grinned and held it up, waggling it a little. "I bet you can't beat me a second time."

His eyes never wavered. "I think you mean a third time. And you should know by now not to make bets you might not win."

"Good thing I never do, right?" I winked exaggeratedly.

His lips twitched. I froze for a moment with shock, almost disbelieving. Had he almost… smiled? At me?

"Are you going to get the pieces?"

I blinked, emerging from my brief stupor. "Uh… Y-Yeah."

As I reached for the pieces, I was deep in thought. For some reason, my mind was flashing back to the encounter between Akashi and that black-haired girl in the library. He'd been polite, smiling and laughing with her. I frowned and reflected on what I knew of him. Around school I saw boys hanging around him and girls approach him in the halls. He smiled and greeted every one of them. Even went so far as to ask about their families.

I'd never really noticed before, but he never smiled at me. At least not genuinely…

I shook my head. I had to focus; I couldn't lose to Akashi a second… _third_ time. My pride wouldn't allow it. _I've got to go on the offensive!_

The game began – with him courteously allowing me the first move – again. I was cautious, paying more attention to where he positioned his pieces this time rather than worrying about my own. We were four moves in when he fell into my first trap; I had to suppress my grin when I moved my piece and saw his eyes narrow slightly.

As the game progressed, he became more wary of my strategy, allowing me to effectively take on the offensive. I glanced up at him studying the board. His hair was falling over his piercing eyes, concealing their depths, and I sneakily stole the chance to study his profile.

His hair looked purposely styled, but I realised now that it fell naturally, despite the haphazard way in which it had been cut. Had he done it himself? It looked incredibly soft… I thought about my own red hair; in comparison, it was more of a dark red, and much more unkempt. It was a hassle just to get it into a ponytail every day.

"Your move, Setsuna." Was it bad that my name coming out of his mouth made me want to shiver?

I blinked and focused on my next move. He'd once again put himself in jeopardy. I couldn't help my small grin this time as I moved my chosen piece. _Finally… Prepare to taste defeat, Akashi Seijuro!_

His eyes watched my every movement; when I was done, they met mine, devoid of all emotion. I couldn't help it; I cocked a brow challengingly.

He reached forward and made his move. As he did, my eyes followed it, and then widened in disbelief. I was gaping at the board, and his chuckle brought my head up. "You should also know by now. I never lose."

I couldn't believe this was happening to me again. _Even when I try my hardest… It's no use. He's just too good._ I frowned, trying to reflect on where I'd gone wrong.

"Wait…" I studied the board intently, and realisation hit me. Our eyes met, mine filled with astonishment. "That first mistake of yours; it was a trap." He inclined his head. "You set a trap inside my trap…" Suddenly I was no longer disheartened; I was amazed. I gazed at him in admiration. "That was genius."

He shrugged. "You weren't too bad yourself."

"Yeah, right," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "That's thrice you've beaten me now. I'm starting to lose confidence in myself."

"Don't." I looked up to see him gazing at me intently. "You're the first person I've had to use that strategy on. Normally I just beat people by the standard play, but I had to fool you into thinking I was struggling."

I blinked again, and then a slow grin stretched my lips. I leaned my head on my hand. "Is that your apology for this afternoon?"

His eyes remained locked on mine. "I don't apologise as a rule."

"Are you normally that rude, as a rule?" I countered.

"No." He looked away, his demeanour cool as ever, but I knew I'd made him uncomfortable.

Instead of making him squirm like I ought to, I remembered how he'd let me into his home – or rather dragged me in – and use his shower. He'd allowed me a brief reprieve from having to face my aunt and uncle again, and for that alone I was extremely grateful.

Opting to give him an out, I said, "It's okay. I'll forgive you. But…"

"But what?" he asked, his gaze back on mine.

I grinned. "Only if you swear to help me beat Chinami."

He stared at me in silence for a moment, and crossed his arms. "I already promised you that, in exchange for the information I want. And I always keep my promises."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine:**

I was walking home. At night. Alone.

The thought was enough to have me mentally kicking myself. _Why_ had I stayed at Akashi's house so long? I should have just refused him and gone straight home…

But I knew why. I hadn't been ready to face my aunt and uncle – still wasn't, in fact. I dreaded what was waiting for me when I finally arrived home.

A bone-deep chill permeated the air; five minutes into my walk and I was already shivering. Too late, I realised that one, I hadn't bothered to ask Akashi for a jumper before I left, and two, there wasn't much light in this part of town at all. The lurking shadows seemed to move when I wasn't looking.

I shivered again, this time not from the cold.

I was just approaching a crossroads when I felt it. An unknown presence behind me. I spun and shouted when I saw the ominous figure.

Akashi stepped forward, eyebrow raised, staring down at me with that cool, assessing gaze. I breathed a sigh of relief, marvelling at the sense of calm that descended when I met those mismatched eyes.

"What – are you doing – Akashi?"

"Did you think I would let you walk home alone at night?" He shook his head. "I'm concerned with what your opinion of me must be…"

"Huh? No, it's not that," I insisted. "You could've walked with me from your house. Why'd you sneak up on me like that? You totally freaked me out!"

"I had to go back and get a jacket."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah well, good for you."

"No," he said with steady eyes. "For you." He held out a black leather jacket. When I didn't immediately take it – out of pure shock from the gesture – he scoffed. "You must really think I'm the worst."

"Only sometimes," I murmured, taking the jacket from him and donning it. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

We started walking, me falling into step with his slightly longer strides. As we did, a strange sensation began to bubble in my chest. I frowned at the feeling, unable to place it. I'd never felt such a foreign emotion before. Was this… giddiness? Excitement?

"You seem quiet. Are you all talked-out?"

I shook my head and grinned. "Nope. I was just making a mental list of all the questions I want to pamper you with."

He sighed and muttered, "And I thought Ryouta was tiring."

"First of all," I began, "Do you wear contacts?"

He glanced down at me out of the corner of his red eye. "No."

"Really?"

"Yes."

I frowned and cocked my head. "Then how come –"

"Next question," he interjected.

"Fine," I grumbled. "What's your real talent? Surely it's not just making people fall on their butts?"

Akashi stared at a spot in the distance and replied, "I'm just good at it. I approach basketball similarly to a game of Shogi. Calculating, assessing my opponents' strengths and weaknesses based on their patterns and individual ability. I don't play for fun – I play to win."

"So… Your special talent is your tendency to win?"

"In as little words, yes."

"Okay…" My thoughts wandered back to something he'd said yesterday during training. "When you were telling me about your… _abilities_ , you mentioned that you'd only been forced once before to fully use them. It was the team that won the Winter Cup last month, right?"

When I glanced up to him, he nodded once. "I was wondering… Just how far did they push you?"

"All the way."

I studied his profile, noting the tightness around his mouth, and decided to file that information away for another time. Instead I chirped, "Midorima-san is really nice. He was very concerned for me earlier."

He tilted his head, deliberating. "I wouldn't say that. He's quite the calculating character. I'd say he was more curious than concerned." Was there a hint of sarcasm in his tone?

"Seriously? Why is that?"

He sighed. "I don't really feel like explaining. You'll see for yourself."

For a moment I was confused – Midorima-san really had seemed quite caring. "Well, if I don't get the chance, would you be able to thank him for me?"

"I don't see him very often, so I doubt it." He was still staring ahead when he asked, "Why were you crying alone in the park?"

That effectively stopped my thought process. I swallowed, unsure how to respond. "Um, it was nothing… disturbing. Just one of those days, you know?" I attempted a light-hearted chuckle that sounded more like a wheeze.

"So you interrupted my evening for no good reason?" He was gazing down at me with contemptuous eyes.

I blanched. "No! That's not it!"

"What is it then?" he demanded.

"It… It's just that I was going through something important, and…" I broke off and frowned. "Hey, it wasn't me who called you! And you didn't have to come running."

"Well, in any case, you effectively embarrassed yourself in front of Shintarou and the general public, not to mention you wasted half of my night." His cool eyes met mine. "Maybe I'll take that time off your training tomorrow."

I halted, glaring furiously at him. I was about to let him have it when he abruptly stepped forward, crowding my space, and forced my eyes to meet his mesmerising ones. My lungs ceased all function.

"Don't you think that after all this, I deserve to know?" His cool breath fanned my cheeks, which oddly appeared to have the opposite effect. I couldn't seem to move my body at all; I was trapped in his searing, icy gaze.

"Tell me, Setsuna." The way he said my name…

A horn from a few streets away blared and my thought process resumed. Without breaking away from his stare, I said, "I had a fight with my aunt."

"About?"

"About… how I always come home late, and because of that she thinks I don't get my chores done. But I do," I whispered in an almost pleading voice. "I told her it was because of a group project, but she's convinced I'm going out with Oshiro-san and doesn't believe me." Almost imperceptibly his eyes narrowed. "But I'm not," I quickly asserted.

"So what happened?"

 _Get it together, Setsuna!_ I stepped back from him with eyes pointed downward. "It escalated, and she grounded me from participating in any more after-school activities."

Akashi studied me for another moment, and then sighed in exasperation. "Didn't you think it important to tell me this information earlier?"

"I was actually trying to forget this afternoon, to be honest," I muttered glumly.

"This is a problem." He resumed walking, and I quickly followed. "You still need practice. You're nowhere near ready."

"There's nothing I can do about it," I grated.

He glanced down at me with those eyes. "Of course there's not. I'll have to fix this."

"How?"

"Be at the school gate tomorrow after school."

An uneasy feeling began to boil in me. "What are you going to do?"

"Just be there."

He stopped, and I looked up in surprise; we were already at my house. The churning in me amplified. I so wasn't ready to face them yet.

"This is your house, yes?"

I nodded and then frowned. "Yeah, how did you know?" He stared at me without replying. "Right. Stalker." The house seemed to be looming closer with every passing second.

Akashi noticed my immobility and said, "Aren't you going in?"

"Yes…" Sighing, I slipped his jacket off my shoulders and handed it back to him. "Thanks again."

He took it and turned away.

"You got question three of the maths homework wrong, by the way!" My voice was slightly shrill.

Peering over his shoulder at me, he replied, "Stop stalling, Setsuna."

I was totally stalling.

* * *

"Setsuna."

I cringed, and then sighed. As predicted, operation 'Escape-To-Room-Undetected' was a failure. _Damn…_ Slowly turning, I met my uncle's eyes from the kitchen.

"Where have you been?" His voice was low, eyes filled with concern.

"At a friend's house. I needed some time alone..."

He appraised me for a moment, and then exhaled, shoulders deflating. "I've been worried sick about you. When you didn't come back after two hours, I went to the park."

I shuffled my feet and looked away. "Well, there was no need. I was safe."

Silence filled the air between us, and I quickly seized the opportunity to make my escape. "I'm tired; I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight, Oji-san."

"Wait, Setsuna." When I faced him, he crossed his arms. "I want you to apologise to your aunt in the morning."

My fists clenched, and I had to breathe away my initial impulse to refuse. "Why?"

"What you said to her was inexcusably inappropriate. She looks after you in ways you don't realise." His eyes turned hard. "You will apologise."

"So I should apologise for standing up for myself? And my mother?" There was a challenge in my tone.

"About that…" He frowned and his eyes lowered to the bench. "I had a talk with your aunt, and she has also agreed to apologise for what she said. It won't happen again."

For some reason, I didn't remain silent; some part of me refused to leave it there. I crossed my own arms and lifted my chin. "And what about you? What's your excuse?"

He glanced up at me in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Why didn't you stand up for her? When Oba-san said those terrible things, you didn't even try to stop her. You just sat there." My voice became louder, and I wondered where this boldness was coming from. "Did you agree with her? Was my mother really nothing but a nuisance for you?"

"Of course not," he breathed. "I loved my sister more than she ever knew."

"Yes. From what I remember, I'm sure that's correct." I rubbed my hand over my face, weariness stealing over me. "I'm going to bed."

"Setsuna-chan… Hold on a moment." I stilled with my back to him. When he spoke, his voice was soft. "Do you blame me? For what she went through… before she… died?"

I didn't reply; the sound of footsteps echoed behind me, and then he appeared. When I looked up, his face was carefully blank, awaiting my answer.

"I don't blame you."

I kept my expression neutral as he considered me. "You're lying."

"No, I'm not. Really."

His eyes fell to the floor. "Setsuna-chan, there's something… I have to tell you."

Something in his tone warned me; immediately my intuition flared. His eyes hadn't moved from the ground and his mouth was compressed into a thin line.

I surmised right then that whatever it was he wanted me to know was definitely not worth knowing.

"I'm going to bed now. Goodnight, Oji-san."

"Setsuna –"

I was already around him and climbing the stairs two at a time.

* * *

It was lunchtime, and as usual I was in the library with Eisuke, whose face was screwed up in concentration. Despite his intensity, he was playing worse than usual today.

Perhaps this was due to the small but palpable distraction that was cackling in the far corner of the library, surrounded by what had to be ten students, both girls and boys, who were all giggling along with her. Chinami Suzuki was successfully turning the once-serene library into a social convention.

I forced my eyes back to the board. "Don't move that piece, Oshiro-san."

He frowned. "Why not?"

"Because if you do, I'll take that piece." Cue the eyes widening.

"Don't tell me! That's the same as losing." He suddenly scowled. "No, it's worse! If I'm gonna lose, I'll do so honestly."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Okay, okay, sorry. I just wanted a little more of a challenge, that's all…"

His eyes met mine underneath his dark lashes. "Don't get all bloodthirsty with me because your nemesis is defiling your place."

"Point taken." I attempted to change the subject. "So next month will be your first time on the basketball team, right?"

Before my eyes I watched his face brighten. "Yeah! It's not a sure thing, though. Some positions opened up in the first string, and the official trials begin next term, which is only a few months away."

"Then… how do you know you'll be on the team?"

"Two reasons." He lifted a finger. "I'm gonna try my hardest and beat every other first-string-wannabe that shows up. And…" He suddenly grinned and puffed out his chest importantly. "Akashi approached me himself and asked me to come."

"Really?" The surprise in my tone was genuine. "You must be pretty good."

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Of course I am!"

"Don't let it go to your head," I warned. "If you're as good at basketball as you are at Shogi, I wouldn't get my –"

A high voice cut me off. "Eito-chan, you don't have to do that! I'll go get it –"

"No, no, you stay there, Chinami-san!" A boy with spiky black hair replied. "I'll be back with your juice in just a minute." A chorus of giggles followed him all the way out the door.

I scowled. "Remind me again why everybody likes her?"

"She's athletic, she's cute, and she knows almost everyone in the entire student body by their given names," Eisuke promptly listed off.

My glower turned on him. "That's where you were supposed to say, 'They don't; everyone secretly hates her guts'."

"Hmmm…" His hands linked together behind his head. "So are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

I froze. "Huh?"

"You're really worked up."

I rolled my eyes. "I wonder why that could be."

An eyebrow rose. "You're just using Suzuki for an outlet."

"So what if I am?" I countered. "What's that got to do with it?"

He fixed me with a droll stare. "You didn't notice my cast."

I blinked and immediately looked underneath the table. Sure enough, his leg was normal again. "Wow, Oshiro-san, that's great! I'm sorry I didn't say anything."

"Don't worry about that. Are you going to answer me or not?"

I stared at him, debating. "…Fine. I had an argument with my aunt and uncle last night."

He unlinked his hands and leaned forward. "How bad?" I shrugged, choosing not to reply. "That bad, huh…"

"It wasn't bad. It's just… It was the first time we've argued like that before. I'm still reeling from it, I guess."

Eisuke continued to study me. "That's not the real problem." When I declined to reply, he sighed. "I can tell that something has you spooked. What else happened?"

As I fidgeted, trying to put my chaotic thoughts into words, I wondered to myself when he'd become so observant. "Well, my uncle said something weird to me last night."

"What was it?"

"He didn't really _say_ it, exactly," I explained with difficulty. "He tried to, but I left before he could. Something about the way he was acting… It made me think I was better off not knowing."

He thought for a moment before nodding. "Hmm… Maybe you're right. But that's only temporary thinking; at some point, you'll have to ask him what he meant to say." When my gaze remained downcast, he clapped his hands loudly and exclaimed, "I have an idea!"

"What is it?" I asked absentmindedly.

"Let's go somewhere to eat after school today."

"I can't," I muttered. "Oba-san grounded me; I have to come straight home after school every day."

His eyes widened in disbelief. "That is the definition of bad, Setsuna-chan. How are you going to practice basketball?"

"I don't know." My voice was little more than a whisper.

"H-Hey…" Eisuke reached forward and gently placed his hand over mine. "It'll be okay. Go home this afternoon and see if you can talk her out of it. Why did she ground you?"

 _Because she thinks I'm romping around the school with you._ "Uh, she found out that I lied about the group project thing. She won't trust me anymore."

"Can't you, like, clean the house or something? That'll make her happy, and that way maybe she'll let you off a bit."

"I clean the house everyday, Oshiro-san. I doubt she'll suddenly start paying attention now," I groused. When he went to reply I cut him off. "Look, just leave it to me, I'll figure something out. Besides, you've got other things to worry about…"

My words seemed to penetrate; he immediately studied the board with suspicion. "Something tells me I'm about to lose…"

"Something tells me… you're onto something."

* * *

Later that day I walked out of school with a strange churning sensation in my gut. I was sure that even with Akashi's help, there was no way my aunt was going to allow our afternoon activities to continue – not when she was convinced I was tarnishing the family reputation.

But Akashi had said to meet at the front gate… _What in the world could he possibly do to fix this?_

Sure enough, when I arrived he was waiting there with arms crossed and eyes cool as ever. "Is it customary for you to make people wait?"

I sighed. "Sorry, I had to go over some stuff with Sensei…" Question three of the homework.

Akashi looked me up and down in a cursory glance, and then strode away. "Let's go."

Immediately I set off after him. "Um, go _where_?"

"Your house. I think it's time you introduced me to your aunt."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten:**

"Here's your tea, Seijuro-kun! I hope it's not too hot."

Akashi politely accepted the steaming cup. "Thank you very much." My aunt gracefully sat on the cushion while he took a small sip and beamed when he nodded appreciatively.

The urge to cringe almost overcame me; I couldn't even remember the last time she'd been in such high spirits. I was still convinced this was all an act; any second now she would let loose a high, chilling laugh and force him out of her house.

"You have a nice home, Kurosawa-san."

"Oh, thank you!" She sighed dramatically. "But I'm sure in comparison to your home, it seems awfully dreary."

 _Oh, you have no idea._

"No," Akashi punctually replied. "It has a warm feel to it." I narrowed my eyes on him. What was he playing at…?

Taking another sip from the cup, he then placed it on the table in a polite yet firm manner that told me I was about to find out.

"Kurosawa-san, I realise I have not been very forthcoming in my recent activities with Setsuna, and as a result I have caused you great concern for her wellbeing." He bowed his head slightly. "I'm deeply sorry."

She seemed to lose her composure for a moment. "Oh, no Akashi, it wasn't your fault!" Her eyes turned to me and hardened a little. "Setsuna should have told me what was happening –"

"She could not," he interrupted. "You see, I had instructed her not to inform anyone else that I was tutoring her. If everyone found out, I'm afraid it would prove… difficult for me."

I gazed at Akashi with wide eyes. _Tutoring?_

Apparently my aunt had the same thought, because she was blinking in confusion and glancing back and forth between us. "Tutoring?"

"That's right."

"Oh…" Was that disappointment in her voice? Red suffused my cheeks when I realised what her original assumption must have been. "Is this true, Setsuna? You've been having tutoring sessions with Akashi these past weeks?"

I stared at her, unsure for a moment how to respond. In my peripheral vision I saw Akashi's head turn, and mentally slapped myself. "Um, y-yes."

"If you would give us your permission," he said, leaning forward, "I would like to continue tutoring Setsuna. There is still much for her to learn."

I scowled at him from the corner of my eye. _Thanks a lot, Akashi, you turncoat…_

"Oh, of course!" my aunt replied, cheerful again. "Setsuna-chan has always been quite intelligent, but with your help Akashi, I'm sure she will improve." She turned to me and said, "You can continue with your after-school activities, Setsuna. However, you must remember to do your chores afterward."

"I will, Oba-san," I replied in a small voice.

Akashi abruptly stood. "We must be going."

"So soon?" She frowned. "You haven't finished your tea."

"I'm afraid Setsuna-san's education can't wait if she hopes to pass her exams."

"Hmm… I didn't realise you were struggling so much with your studies, Setsuna," she said. "Weren't you top of your class?"

I closed my eyes, mortified. "It's not that bad, Oba-san. There are just a few concepts I have to learn."

She nodded. "Alright. Study hard, then."

* * *

I watched Akashi as he collected a ball from the storage room, still partially in shock from my aunt's eager reception with him; he'd uttered his name and she'd all but crowed with delight. Just how rich was he…?

"What is it?" he asked when he noticed me staring.

I shrugged. "Oh nothing… It's just, I didn't realise that your name alone was enough to completely destroy my aunt's glacial composure. It's quite a feat. It'll make a handy trump card…"

I barely caught the ball as it came flying at me. "I'd rather you didn't."

"Are you really that well-known?"

He crossed his arms. "Yes, my family name is very well-known; we're the head of one of the leading business companies in Japan, as well as prominent shareholders in others. Our extracurricular activities also cause us to stand out." His eyes raked over me. "But at this present moment, my personal life is not of any importance; your footwork, however, needs work."

"But I've improved on my footwork the most in the last week. Shouldn't we work on my shooting a little more?"

He made his way to the middle of the court, and then faced me, stance relaxed. "Prove it to me. If you can get past me, we'll move on to your shooting. But first I want to see your ball control."

I recalled the time I'd seen him flatten genuine basketball players using nothing but his footwork. "Wait, that's not really fair," I pouted. "Your specialty is fundamentally in your footwork. I can't go up against you and hope to win."

"I'll go easy on you."

The words should have had me feeling relieved, but indignant pride stiffened my spine. Suddenly I understood how Eisuke must have felt when I'd tried to go easy on him last time. "Actually on second thought, I'd rather you come at me with everything you have."

I could almost hear his silent snort. "If I came at you with everything, you'd only get hurt. Now, would you please show me what you've got?"

Scowling, I came to stand in front of him and adopted my stance; legs bent and arms out. I began to slowly dribble the ball, carefully studying him. He hadn't moved an inch from his relaxed position. His mismatched eyes were on me, watching the way my body rotated in place, coolly awaiting my move.

I faked to the left, and then crossed to my right, ball in my right hand, and attempted to dribble as fast as I could around him. He saw through my deception easily, and was there to intercept me when I made my move. My eyes caught the subtle movement of his hand reaching out for the ball for a steal; quickly I turned my back whilst keeping the ball in a position he couldn't reach.

I felt him behind me, again waiting for me to make my move. Briefly, I considered my options; go left and risk running outside the boundaries, or go right and attempt to spin around him quickly. Both options would almost certainly end in him obtaining the ball.

 _Damn… What do I do?_

It came to me quickly, and before I could reconsider my thoughts, I spun around him to the right. He was fast, keeping on me; again his hand flashed forward in an attempt to steal the ball, but I had already taken a step back and was lining the ball up for a three. I adjusted my grip, eyes on the hoop, and jumped, releasing the ball at the apex of my jump.

A hand came swinging down, knocking the ball away.

"Hey! I thought you said you'd go easy on me!"

"That was easy." He was barely out of breath. "Did you learn that move from Midorima?" I nodded. "It wasn't bad, you just had to execute it more quickly. Even for an athlete like Chinami, if you move quickly, she won't be able to stop you."

I couldn't help the small rush of giddiness that suffused me at his praise… or at least, non-insult. "Well, still, you're a _slightly_ more difficult opponent than Chinami. You're taller than her, for one."

"What she lacks in size she makes up for in her athletic ability," he assured. "And she's still slightly taller than you, which again, is not to your advantage. You're going to have to learn to be quick on your feet if you hope to have a chance against her."

I huffed. "What has the last week-and-a-half been for?"

"Teaching you the fundamentals. Your ball-dribbling skills still leave much to be desired, but there has been some improvement. For one," he said in a droll voice, "You're able to dribble without falling all over yourself."

"You really could have phrased that differently," I grumbled, but he continued on unheeded.

"For another, your confidence in the ball is steadily increasing. Soon you'll be able to shoot without hesitation."

Again that strange exultant feeling crept into my chest, and inwardly I grimaced. What was going on with me? I couldn't actually be genuinely excited. No, I must have eaten a bad rice ball or something for lunch.

"Seijuro."

At the sound of his given name, his eyes flashed to mine. "What is it?"

"Do you really care… if I succeed or not?" Despite my efforts, there was a feeble note of hope in my words. I tore my eyes away from his and focused on a tree outside the far window.

His sigh had my back tensing in anticipation. "Yes, I do. But don't get the wrong idea. I'm in this as much for myself as I am for you."

I blinked. Straightened. Bent to retrieve the ball. "Of course. So you can get dirt on me and use it against me, to manipulate me. Right. That's what I meant." _Definitely a bad rice ball._

He shrugged. "Not in so many words. I just prefer to back up my assets, in a manner of speaking. It's business."

I met his eyes again, mine flashing in anger. "Business."

His stoic gaze never wavered. "Don't concern yourself with the details. I have no intention of making it public knowledge as Suzuki promised to. Think of it as a safe card."

"A safe card that you can whip out every time I disagree with you? How convenient." As soon as the defiant words were out of my mouth, I knew I'd overstepped it. Again.

"As I said, don't worry about the details. You just have to focus on not losing to Chinami and ruining everything." He cocked his head. "Do you think you can manage that?"

Choosing not to reply, I turned and walked back to the middle of the court. Facing him again, I began to dribble. "Alright, Akashi. When are you going to teach me defence?"

* * *

"So… He introduced himself to your aunt and she forgave you for everything?"

"Basically, yeah."

"Not a single complaint?"

"Nope."

Eisuke slumped in his seat, bewildered. "And you made her out to be such a bitch."

"But she was!" I insisted. "Even while she apologised to me yesterday she looked like she was in pain!"

"Yet she takes one look at Akashi and that icy exterior comes crashing down." He scoffed and looked away, his eyes set on something to my right. "He's not that influential. Maybe she wasn't that mad at you to begin with."

His casual dismissal of the situation heated my blood, and I glowered at him. "You're the one who said that she was the definition of bad."

He shrugged. "Yeah, that was before she dropped her bad attitude like a sack of potatoes. I doubt one person alone would be enough to change her mind like that."

"What would you know about it?" I grumbled; when he didn't reply, I followed his gaze. Akashi was sitting in his chair by the window, reading again.

"He beat you at Shogi, right? He must be pretty good…"

"I'll say. He beat me again the other night." The words slipped out without any conscious thought.

They got his attention, though.

His head whipped around, a frown on his face. "Wait, what do you mean _the other night_?"

 _Great, now you've done it._ I sighed internally as I studied the board.

"What were you doing the other night? I thought you only trained during the afternoons?"

"We did," I mumbled. "When I had that argument with my aunt, I left the house for a while. Akashi met me in the park and took me to his house to freshen up and we played Shogi. You know the rest."

The frown never left his features. "What was it like? His house?"

I glanced over at Akashi while I replied, "It was huge. Dwarfing. Just being at the front gate was intimidating, and when I walked in, it was like a different world."

"Guess I can see why your aunt took such a liking to him."

Shrugging, I returned to the board and moved a piece, then leaned back. "Your move, Oshiro-san."

He finally looked away from Akashi and focused on the game. While I waited, I pulled out my latest book, 'To Kill a Mockingbird', and flipped to the latest chapter.

"ARRGHH! Setsuna-chan!"

The shout that came across from me caused the book to tumble from my fingers. "Would you shut up? You're too loud!" I glanced around uneasily. Almost everyone – including Akashi – was staring at us, none of them pleased.

He went on as though he hadn't heard a thing. "You're not grounded anymore! That means we can finally hang out!"

"Have you been listening to a single word I've been saying?" I hissed through clenched teeth. "No, I'm not grounded anymore, but I still have to be home before nightfall, and I'm training all afternoon. Please keep your voice down!"

"You can just make up some excuse about tutoring with Akashi," he continued in a more subdued tone. "She loves him, so she won't mind. Come on, we'll go grab something to eat later; I'll wait for you after school, promise."

I sighed and retrieved my book. Sure, hanging out and taking a break sounded nice, but if my aunt found out… "I don't think that's a good idea, Oshiro-san."

When I shrugged apologetically, he laced his fingers together and leaned forward. "I was thinking a plate of dumplings each…"

At the mention of the word, my shoulders straightened. I narrowed my eyes on him suspiciously. Did he know that dumplings were my favourite…? One look at his smug features confirmed it.

He laughed aloud when he saw my expression. "Yeah, I know you love them. If you have them in your lunchbox you munch on your lip and always save them for last."

As he spoke, a red flush heated my face. Did I really do that?

"I'll pick you up after practice."

I blinked twice and shook my head. "Wait, but –"

"Yeah, I know," he said, rolling his eyes. "I'll have you home before it gets too late."

After a moment of deliberation, I finally conceded. "Fine. I'll meet you after practice at the front gate."

He grinned triumphantly and gestured to the board. "By the way, you're about to lose one of your most valuable pieces."

I stared at him as he went to pick his piece up, but upon seeing my careless expression, suddenly faltered. He frowned at the board, re-assessing. "I'm about to lose my piece, aren't I? In that case… nothing wrong with being on the cautious side." He returned his chosen piece to its original spot and moved another.

I leaned forward and unveiled my double trap.

Eisuke's jaw dropped. "What? No! How did you do that? I made sure there was nothing… Wait, you tricked me!"

"How do you figure that?"

"You used your eyes and freaked me out," he grumbled. "I haven't seen that technique before. Is it new?"

"Just something I picked up." I peered over at Akashi, who hadn't moved from his seat, and kept my smirk to myself.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven:**

Another gruelling training session with Akashi later, and my legs were slightly more shaky than usual as I made my way to the front gate. He'd been particularly punishing this afternoon, forcing me to run at him again and again in an attempt to get around him. At one point, I had tried for another three, and the ball was completely snatched from my hands.

"Don't go for any more three's," he said, calmly clutching the ball as I stood there struggling to breathe. "Just try and get around me. We'll work on your shooting later."

So, for the remaining hour I attempted to dribble my way around him, only succeeding once – after which he again prevented me from shooting. In all honesty, I was becoming annoyed with my lack of improvement. At this rate, I felt there was little chance I was going to win against Chinami.

"Hey, Setsuna-chan!"

I glanced up to see Eisuke waving at me from the front gate and shook my head, putting this afternoon's events out of my head. When I caught up to him, he grinned down at me. "About time! I was beginning to suspect he'd worked you to death and dragged your body off somewhere."

"Who says he hasn't?" I grumbled. "I could be a ghost, and he might be burying my body as we speak."

Eisuke cocked his head. "Hmmm. Well you're certainly pale enough, but…" He suddenly reached forward and pinched my cheek. "Nope, thought not. Your natural complexion is just ghost-like."

I rubbed my cheek and glared at him. "How many times do I have to tell you, don't treat me so familiarly."

For a moment, I thought something strange flashed in his eyes, but then he laughed aloud and ruffled my hair. "You're so mean, Setsuna-chan!" He stood back, avoiding the swipe I made at his arm, and chuckled again. "Come on, let's go stuff our faces with delicious, heavenly dumplings."

I was about to agree when a black car pulled up in front of us. I barely registered Akashi's presence before he was walking past me to the car and pulling open the door. He glanced back at us.

"Eisuke, don't forget that trials are being held in a few months; if you're not in shape, I won't accept you on the team."

Eisuke stiffened. "I know that."

"Good." With that, Akashi folded himself into the car and shut the door behind him.

* * *

"Well, that's something you don't see everyday."

"What is it?" I murmured distractedly as my eyes wandered over the multitude of restaurants lining the street.

He pointed. "That." I followed his finger. A black-haired boy was just pulling up on a bike, a cart attached to the back, inside of which was another boy. With green hair.

Eisuke squinted and leaned forward. "Hey, isn't that –"

"Eisuke-san," I said suddenly. His head whipped around and he blinked in surprise from me using his given name. "Would you mind going ahead and picking a restaurant? There's a shop up ahead that I want to check out."

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"No," I replied, and then quickly added, "It's girl stuff."

He blushed. "Oh. I'll… go on ahead then…"

At my nod, he crossed the street and entered a small café. Once he was inside I made my way into the shop I'd seen Midorima disappear into moments earlier.

The store had strange items hanging from the ceiling and decorating the shelves, from grotesque figures to dream-catchers to random colourful objects. I quickly made my way along the aisles, eyes scanning for a flash of green.

"Midorima-san!"

I saw his back tense before he slightly turned his head, green eyes narrowing as he saw me waving. "Can I help you?"

I blinked in surprise at his remark. "It's me. Koizumi Setsuna?"

"Sorry, but I don't know you."

"B-But…" Completely caught off guard for a moment, I was at a loss of what to say.

"Hey! Setsuna, right?" I turned to see Midorima's friend waving at me – whose name I had completely forgotten.

"Oh… Hello."

His eyes narrowed with suspicion as he neared us. "Is Midorima being mean? Don't let it get to you; he's unpleasant to everyone."

I shook my head. "Um, no it's fine; he says he doesn't remember me, that's all…"

"Oh," he laughed. He waltzed over to Midorima and threw his arm over his neck. "This guy likes to do that when he finds someone he doesn't wanna talk to. He's not very good at communicating." He squeezed his friend's neck. "You're such a rotten liar, Shin-chan. You've been worrying over Suna-chan for the last two days!"

I stiffened. ' _Suna-chan'?_

"Get your arm off me, baka," Midorima grumbled, shrugging his friend's arm off. "You're over-exaggerating."

From behind me, I heard the door to the shop swing open. "Actually Midorima-san, I –"

"Setsuna-chan! What're you doing?" I spun around to find Eisuke standing there, watching the two boys suspiciously. "Are these guys bothering you?"

"What? No!" Midorima's brow twitched in anger, and I hurriedly introduced them before he got the wrong idea. "Oshiro-san, this is Midorima Shintarou, and his friend…" I trailed off. There was an awkward pause, during which Midorima shot me a curious glance. I deliberately avoided eye contact.

Eisuke purposely cleared his throat. "And… you are?"

The boy blinked at me. "I'm Takao. Suna-chan, why didn't you introduce me as well?"

"Because," Midorima explained as he adjusted his glasses, "She doesn't remember your name."

Takao blanched as though he'd been stabbed. "Huh?!"

"And as for the other night; I was concerned for your physical wellbeing at the time. That is all," he concluded, then turned and picked an item from the shelf. His stubborn aloofness kind of reminded me of Akashi. Without acknowledging me, he turned and said to Takao, "I'm done here."

A feeling of urgency suddenly gripped me; I wanted to learn more about Akashi, about his past and what he'd been like before I had met him. He wouldn't tell me anything himself, and my one chance at obtaining that information was quickly walking away from me… As soon as the thought entered my mind, my eyes narrowed, and I felt my natural desire to acquire success rise within me.

No way was I, Setsuna Koizumi, going to let an opportunity like this pass me by – not if there was something I could do about it.

Before I could process it, I found myself in front of Midorima, blocking his path. His intense green eyes found mine and narrowed in displeasure. "What are you doing?"

"I still want to thank you for the other night," I explained, the words falling out of my mouth. "Would you let me buy you some dumplings?"

"Huh? Dumplings?" Takao exclaimed excitedly, my earlier transgression completely forgotten. "Count us in!"

Midorima closed his eyes for a moment, adjusting his glasses. "No. We have to get back to school for training."

Takao rolled his eyes. "No we don't. Basketball season hasn't even started, Shin-chan. Geez, you really are a terrible liar…"

"Shut up, _baka_ ," he replied, glaring down at him. "We're going."

Takao stubbornly shook his head. "I'm not peddling one more wheel until I eat some dumplings. I need energy!"

"The offer wasn't made to you," Midorima pointed out, crossing his arms. When Takao pouted, I quickly intervened.

"I'll buy you some as well, Takao-san, since you were also there to help me. And also as an apology for being so rude earlier."

He pumped his fist once. "Yes! It's settled then – lead the way, Suna-chan!"

* * *

Five minutes later, I learned that having three extremely large boys and a small girl crammed in one booth was not a pleasant situation.

Sandwiched between Takao – who was stuffing dumplings in his mouth at an astounding rate – and Eisuke – who was staring at barely-concealed awe at Midorima – I found it difficult to direct conversation to Akashi, let alone maintain a conversation at all. Especially since the green-haired basketball genius himself pointedly avoided looking at our table.

Despite the fact that I'd introduced Eisuke to the two players, he seemed to be having trouble formulating a coherent sentence; at regular intervals his mouth opened, and then closed with a snap.

Just as I was about to shove a dumpling into it, he abruptly blurted, "You're the legendary shooter from the Generation of Miracles."

Midorima's deep green eyes met Eisuke's across the table, but he didn't reply.

"You play for Shutoku High, right?" Eisuke looked like an eager puppy.

"Is there a point to your questions?"

"Yeah," he replied, a fierce grin suddenly transforming his face. "I'm going to be the ace of Rakuzan High. I want to make sure you remember me, because I'm definitely going to beat you at the Inter-High next season."

I barely refrained from face-palming myself.

Beside me, Takao choked on his food, but Midorima didn't spare him a glance. He looked at Eisuke with contempt and replied, "Did you expect that little exclamation to have an effect on me?"

"Selection processes haven't even started yet," Takao pointed out when he finally gained his breath.

Eisuke shook his head. "I'm going to make the team, no matter what. I'll win the Inter-High and restore Rakuzan's former glory by taking the Winter Cup as well."

"Eisuke!" I hissed, glaring at him.

I half-expected Midorima to laugh out loud, but his expression only grew more contemptuous. "Akashi would never allow someone so weak on his team."

His palms hit the table and he abruptly stood. "Yeah? Why don't we step outside and show you just how weak I am by beating your ass – AH!"

"That's enough," I rumbled menacingly, dragging Eisuke back into his seat by his ear. When he was seated, I smiled apologetically at Midorima. "So, what did you buy at the store today, Midorima-san?"

He ignored Eisuke glowering at him and replied, "A notebook."

"It's his lucky item for our exam tomorrow," Takao chirped.

"Oh, I hope you do well –"

"How does Akashi determine who's fit to get a first-string position?" Eisuke interrupted. "You'd know, wouldn't you? What with both of you being a member of the Generation of Miracles." I blinked up at him, astounded by his rudeness, and had to control the urge to hit him over the head.

"It's not a test of fitness," Midorima calmly explained. "It's a test of potential."

Eisuke made a small sound of irritation. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Akashi has always had the ability to see the hidden talents of other players, isolate that talent, and enhance it to its maximum potential."

Excitement surged within me as Midorima spoke. At last, I was discovering more about Akashi than I'd ever hoped to learn, and from a reliable primary source. "He can do that? How?"

"Isshh 'is eyesh," Takao chimed in, his words slightly muffled from the multitude of dumplings in his mouth. "He usesh 'is Empheror Eye."

"Don't talk with your mouth full!" Midorima snapped.

I barely allowed Takao to get in a mumbled "Shorry" before I asked, "What's an Emperor Eye?"

Midorima sighed, closing his eyes and pushing up his glasses. "It's an ability that Akashi alone possesses, what made him the captain of the Generation of Miracles. I suppose the only way to describe it is he is able to predict the movements his opponent is going to make before he makes them."

 _Well, this is news._

Eisuke leaned back and crossed his arms. "How does this have anything to do with him picking the good players?"

"He uses this concept to assess someone's strengths, and to determine the maximum potential of his or her abilities," he explained, gazing at Eisuke with apparent dislike. "Which inherently means you're out of luck."

"He did this with each member of the Generation of Miracles?" I asked before Eisuke could form a retort. Eagerness had me leaning forward slightly.

Midorima's eyes narrowed suspiciously on me, and I immediately glanced away, trying not to look too interested. "Is there a reason you want to know all this?"

"Nope," I replied casually. "Just curious, that's all."

He surveyed my profile for a moment, and then reluctantly replied, "Akashi never had to use this ability on the five members; our talents were almost at their full potential. However, he was solely responsible for the development of the abilities of our sixth member."

The name triggered something in my memory. I thought back to the research I'd conducted on each member of the Generation of Miracles. "Kuroko Tetsuya? The Phantom Sixth Man?" Midorima nodded.

Eisuke crossed his arms. "But he's on the team that defeated Rakuzan in this season's Winter Cup. Seirin High."

"That's right. Akashi observed Kuroko during middle school, and realised that his lack of presence was in fact a hidden strength that could be harnessed into an effective weapon. He helped Kuroko to develop this talent, but he later used it to help defeat Akashi in the Winter Cup."

For some reason, Midorima's words troubled me. To have trained someone to recognise their strengths, only to have them use it against you… I recalled Akashi's words from over a week ago.

' _Surely you've heard of the Phantom Sixth Man? He wasn't a starter, but he may as well have been. He was always there if we needed him, otherwise fading into the background…'_

Eisuke's words echoed my thoughts. "That's a bit cold. Who does this Kuroko kid think he is?"

"On the contrary, it wasn't cold at all."

I frowned up at Midorima. "What do you mean?"

"Kuroko took up basketball at Seirin High with the intent to prove Akashi's ideals on basketball false by defeating him." The miracle shooter pushed at his glasses. "He did this by matching them against his own ideals. When Akashi lost the Winter Cup, he was forced to acknowledge the stronger opponent."

I tapped the table, thinking hard on what I knew about him already. "Akashi's ideals… You mean how he believes victory is the only important part of basketball?"

He glanced down at me, and there was some hidden emotion in his eyes that I couldn't decipher. "That's right. But, it wasn't always that way." He stopped again, then sighed in resignation when I just stared at him. "Before we – the Generation of Miracles – all went our separate ways, Akashi's basketball changed. Instead of playing basketball for the joy and excitement it brought…" His fingers pushed his glassed further up. "He began to play for no other purpose than to obtain victory. Kuroko didn't agree with his perspective, and so the final game of the Winter Cup was more of a clash of wills than a clash of talent. In the end, Akashi's perception of basketball was defeated by Kuroko's."

"And Kagami's," Takao added. "They're, like, the ultimate duo."

I took a moment to digest what Midorima had said. "You said his basketball changed. What were his ideals on basketball before he only started caring about winning?" In my peripheral vision I saw Eisuke's head turn towards me, and could almost hear his thoughts. _Why was I pursuing this subject so tenaciously?_

"I never paid attention to trivial matters such as those." My eyes narrowed; he was definitely similar in demeanour to Akashi.

I tried again. "What made him change his basketball so drastically?"

Midorima eyes turned dull, and his attitude became ambiguous. "I don't really know."

This time Eisuke said what we were both thinking. "What do you mean you don't know? Weren't you both on the same team?"

"I thought I knew him. But after his basketball changed, I discovered that he wasn't who I thought he was – that I didn't know anything about Akashi Seijuro, and neither does anyone else." He let out a breath and made to stand.

Takao was just swallowing down the last of his dumplings when Midorima said to him, "Are you done?"

"Yep!" He turned and smiled at me. "Thanks for the dumplings, Suna-chan!"

I snapped out of my haze, and for the first time, took notice of the stack of plates piled in the centre of the table. I had to force a polite smile on my face. "Oh… It was nothing…" Actually, that was almost every last penny of savings I'd managed to accumulate this whole term.

"We should do this again sometime!"

"Sure." Never.

As the two boys left, I realised once again that I was going to lose a very valuable source of information. Turning to Eisuke I muttered, "I'll be right back," and trailed after them as they exited the café.

"Midorima-san!"

He stopped and looked down at me from his overwhelming height. "What is it?"

"Can I ask you one more question?"

"Will it stop you if I say no?" His tone was dry.

"Akashi… What's his basketball now?"

He was silent for a moment, and then his deep green eyes met mine. "I don't know."

* * *

"That Midorima guy was a total asshole," Eisuke grumbled as we walked.

"Well, you were being really rude. What was that whole business with your declaration of war?"

He shrugged once, carelessly. "That was just a guy thing. We do that to test each other's mettle." A snigger emerged from him. "Turns out the legendary shooter for the Generation of Miracles is all talk."

I cocked a brow at his absurdity. "I seriously doubt that. He's just too mature to react to your baiting him."

"You were really interested in what he had to say about Akashi," he noted, glancing down at me. I pointedly avoided his searching gaze. "What was with that?"

"I said it before, I'm just curious. I've been training with him for a while, and I wanted to know a little more about his history." It was mostly the truth.

"You wanted to know so badly you paid for six plates of dumplings?"

"No," I groused. "I owed them, that's all."

He shook his head at me. "Pretty sure you got shammed, Setsuna-chan."

"Oh, shut up." I stopped, realising I was at my house already. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Later that night, after I had completed both my chores and my homework – it turned out my aunt really did love Akashi – I lay in my bed unable to sleep. My mind was abuzz with this afternoon's conversation as I fiddled with the horses sewed into my comforter.

Midorima had said that Akashi's ideals on basketball hadn't always been about only obtaining victory… So then, what kind of Akashi had existed before the current one? Did anyone from the Generation of Miracles truly know?

' _I thought I knew him. But then I discovered that he wasn't who I thought he was, that I didn't know anything about Akashi Seijuro, and neither does anyone else._ '

I sighed, suddenly at a loss. Why did I care anyway? I couldn't figure out myself why this was so important to me. My thirst for knowledge regarding Akashi was downright stalker-like, and in no way healthy. But my curiosity had never been so peaked… What was wrong with me?

My eyed widened.

No. No, no, no. There was no way… no possible way I could… _Oh, God._


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:**

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far; your words are truly a constant source of inspiration for me! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did.

* * *

 **Chapter Twelve:**

The sound of chirping birds outside my window, voicing their glee to the world, was what forced me out of my sleep the next morning. I cracked open a bleary eye and glared. With barely a wink of sleep, I wasn't particularly moved by the sounds that rudely yanked me out of a brief few hours of peace.

I stretched, yawning, and flinched as my muscles screamed in silent protest. I went to sit up, but collapsed back on the bed with a gasp of pain instead. _Wow, this really sucks… How do athletes do this every day?_ Kind of made me admire Chinami for a – very – brief moment.

After a few tries I managed to haul myself up sideways without too much trouble, and was just about to jump out of bed when images from my dream began to flicker into existence. Scenes flashed behind my eyes; a pair of red eyes filled my mind, and I froze mid-stretch. _Two blazing orbs haunting me, scrutinizing my every move…_ I began frantically sifting through my memory and suddenly recalled with perfect clarity his presence in my dream.

^ . ^ . ^ . ^

 _I was at the same basketball game I had attended with Eisuke; the board across from me read the score,_ _ **78-0**_ _. My arms were folded across my chest, legs crossed, and beside me, Eisuke let out a low whistle._

" _They're really going overboard now, huh?"_

" _You can say that again," I muttered._

" _They're really going overboard now, huh?" he snickered._

 _I rolled my eyes. "Why are you so irritating?"_

" _Why are you so mean?" he shot back._

" _Because you're so irritating! Now please be quiet."_

 _He huffed and crossed his arms, glaring sullenly at the court. I ignored him, but was interrupted again by his foot tapping against the ground._

" _Stop sulking."_

 _He threw his hands up. "I thought you wanted me to be quiet?"_

 _I glared at him. "Be quiet_ quietly _."_

" _Now you're just being picky –!"_

 _The rest of his sentence was drowned out by the half-time buzzer echoing throughout the dome. The other team dragged their feet dejectedly off the court, while Rakuzan leisurely strolled to their side._

 _Eisuke shook his head. "I thought the opposition might give Rakuzan a bit of a challenge. Akashi's got them completely under his thumb – they can't even muster the motivation to mount a coordinated attack." He sighed in disappointment. "They're just blindly defending."_

" _They're trying to survive," I admonished in a low tone. "They know they're going to lose… But if they give up on each other, that's when they're truly defeated." I glanced up to meet his questioning blue eyes, and sighed once. "He's trying to break their spirit completely by making them question their trust as a team."_

" _Break their spirit…" he echoed, and then frowned. "It seems like something he would do. Makes me a little uncertain about playing for him…"_

 _For some reason, his words rubbed me the wrong way, and I replied without being conscious of doing so. "He's not doing it for personal reasons, Oshiro. By taking away a team's trust in themselves, it creates doubt across the entire sport, which gives them the advantage. He's doing it strategically."_

 _Eisuke sighed once. "I'm not so sure about that."_

 _Now I was definitely irritated. "What does that mean?"_

" _You're telling me he's gonna face up against his little prodigy without getting a little personal?"_

 _I blinked. "Prodigy?"_

" _Yeah," he said with a raised brow. "The Phantom Sixth Man? Haven't you been paying attention?"_

 _I frowned and scanned the court below. On our end stood Rakuzan with Akashi at the head, facing down the opposition – at the forefront of which stood a shady figure that I couldn't quite make out. At my confused expression, Eisuke nodded beside me._

" _That's right. This whole time, he's been battling against the Phantom Sixth Man. Even to his friends, he is completely ruthless."_

 _I shook my head, unable to tear my eyes away as they slowly began to converge below. "That's not the case. Kuroko… he betrayed Akashi."_

" _Betrayed?" Eisuke shook his head slowly. "He disagreed with him. And this is the result." Suddenly he made to stand, glancing down at me as he did. The look in his eyes made me swallow uneasily. "Akashi will always seek victory to the point of the destruction to those closest to him. Including you, Setsuna-chan."_

 _As soon as the words left his mouth, the room began to spin, and before I could process it, I was sitting in a seat on the side-lines of the dome – which was now completely empty. Except for the two figures on the court, the only movement was a soft, repetitive tapping of a door that opened and closed. Akashi stood below his own hoop facing off against a single opponent – Eisuke._

 _I already knew what this was. Eisuke was slowly dribbling the ball to my right, not taking his steely blue eyes off the boy standing before him, who was likewise completely absorbed in the play. Somehow, I knew calling out to either of them would do no good._

 _I was standing there, unsure of what to do, when I noticed it – the fourth person in the dome. My eyes flew to the seats opposite me, and widened at the shadowy figure standing there. His head was lowered, pointed at Akashi, watching him. The uneasy feeling grew, and I unconsciously began to walk down the many stairs; but as soon as I moved, so did he. I swallowed and picked up my pace, angling for Akashi._

 _He did the same._

 _I moved quickly now, something propelling me forward with the conviction that I absolutely had to reach Akashi first. But with the rate at which the figure was moving against me, I wasn't sure I would. To my right, Eisuke began to advance. I growled in frustration and broke into a run, but the stairs felt endless. All the while he was moving, gaining ground. I began to yell._

" _Akashi! Wait a second!" No response from either of them. However, the figure across from me abruptly halted, head cocking to the side as if perplexed. I didn't stop to question it, continuing my reckless flight down the numerous stairs. "Akashi! Hey!" The figure began to run again and quickly made up the lost ground. By this point Eisuke was nearly on him, beginning to dribble faster and faster. I ground my teeth and focused hard on making it there first._

 _Finally, my foot hit the flat ground. I flung myself at the barricade – the figure did the same. "Akashi! Look at me!" I banged my fist on the wood. "_ Akashi _!" Across from me, the figure was silent but also frantically waving and banging against the wood. When I attempted to mount the low wall, something propelled me back. I tried this again and again, with no luck. Eisuke was before him now, smiling savagely._

 _Finally my fury broke free, and I turned to face the threat directly opposite me. "I know it's you, Kuroko! Why are you here? What do you want?" When there was no reply, I hit my fist against the barricade again. "Leave him alone! He doesn't need you! Just go away!"_

 _His frantic movements ceased; his shrouded hands rested against the barricade. I watched with anxiety curling in my stomach as his head cocked, and there was something about the movement that made me pause._ I've seen that before… _As I watched, the darkness surrounding him slowly began to fade, gradually revealing his hands, shoulders, neck, hair… and face. My hands fell away from the wall, and I stumbled a little._

 _Akashi stood there, staring at me with strange eyes._

 _They were strange because, instead of their usual red and orange-gold, they were both completely red. His face wore an expression of confusion almost equal to mine, and it was more than a little unsettling to see such an emotion on Akashi's ordinarily indifferent features. But even more perturbing than this was the slight desperation in his eyes as they met mine, pleading with me for something. Something essential I was meant to know. Instead all I could do was return his searching stare with my own._

 _Then his mouth opened, and he whispered in a barely-there voice, "I'm right here."_

^ . ^ . ^ . ^

I buried my burning face in my hands, shaking my head back and forth. God, what was _wrong_ with me? Why in the world was I suddenly thinking of Akashi this way? Along with the obvious creepiness of it, the fact that I was dreaming about the guy spoke volumes – I was beginning to think that maybe I was a little obsessed. He had never given any indication that he was interested in me in the slightest; quite the opposite, in fact. _You're just like every other girl who's ever gone for him, remember?_

But I couldn't shake the disturbing feeling that gripped me whenever I pictured those confused red eyes. He'd seemed like a totally different person…

Something occurred to me then; I whipped my head around and almost fell out of the bed when I caught sight of the clock.

I was going to be late!

Fifteen minutes later I stormed down the stairs like the house was on fire, and was making a beeline for the fridge when I heard my name. Switching directions, I followed the voice, noting absently that there were two of them instead of one.

"… Have to tell her sometime! We can't just pretend this isn't happening." I froze outside the door to the study as my uncle's elevated voice reached me. Something in his tone had me flattening myself against the wall and listening intently.

"I refuse to go there with her," my aunt replied, her voice hard. It was the first time I'd ever heard her talk to my uncle in such a manner, and I stiffened, uneasy. "She doesn't need to know. She's already struggling enough with her studies; this will just cause more unnecessary stress."

At first I thought they had made the decision to get a divorce, and a cold wave of shock bled through me. But with my uncle's next words, I realised that the truth was far worse.

Oji-chan's voice was equally strained. "Aito, you can't keep her in the dark with something like this. You have no right to make that decision; they're _her_ parents –"

"I have every right," she suddenly exclaimed. "More right that anyone! I won't be denied my rights as her guardian."

"And neither will I. If you think this will just float by without any repercussions, you're terribly mistaken." My uncle's voice had lowered to an almost placating tone. "If she doesn't find out from us, she might learn about it elsewhere. Can you imagine her reaction, how shattered she will be? It's not fair for us to keep this a secret."

"She won't find out from anyone else," my aunt rigidly assured. "Don't say anything. She doesn't need to know yet." When silence was all that accompanied her words, she said in a low tone, "Fumio. Please. Let's just keep this between us for the time being, alright?"

I didn't stay to hear my uncle's consent – instead, I hurried down the hall for the door, lunch long forgotten.

* * *

"Huh? Where's your lunch, Setsuna-chan?" Eisuke asked, bringing me out of my reverie.

I shrugged, not glancing up from my book.

He seemed taken aback by my lack of response; frowning at me in concern, he reached into his bag and pulled out a container of food. "I have lot's of lunch today; my mom made extra. Here." He held the container out to me. "Take whatever you want."

I continued to read as I replied, "No, thank you."

Silence met my answer for a moment, and when he spoke next, his voice was worried. "Um, did something happen? Did you get into another fight with your aunt? Oh!" he suddenly exclaimed, leaning forward. "She didn't get mad because you were late yesterday, did she?"

I glanced up from my book to meet his inquisitive blue eyes, and all of a sudden I was back in my dream and hearing his haunting words echo through my mind. _'Akashi will always seek victory to the point of the destruction to those closest to him. Including you, Setsuna-chan.'_ And those red eyes were there again, confused and pleading, rattling me to my core.

"Setsuna-chan?"

"No," I mumbled distractedly, momentarily unsure of what I was disagreeing with. I shook my head to clear it and tried again. "She's not mad at me or anything." At the mention of my aunt my gut tightened, and I cast my eyes about, searching for a change in topic. Almost immediately they landed on his jersey, and I cocked my head as something occurred to me. "I never thought to ask, but how did you get your jersey? I thought only basketball players could wear them."

There was a mildly offended expression on his face. "I _am_ a basketball player." At my droll stare, he chuckled and conceded, "Fine. I bought it from Chihiro Mayuzumi. He left the team last season, and when he caught me staring at it, he offered to sell it to me. Made me pay a hefty price for it, too, the cheapskate."

I cocked a brow. "He just sold it to you?"

He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Well… at first, no. But I was pretty persistent, and he finally succumbed. I think he just got annoyed at me in the end and gave up."

"Why does that not surprise me?" I muttered as I moved my piece on the board. Feeling his eyes studying me, I returned to my book without meeting them.

He cocked his head. "Setsuna-chan… Are you angry at me?"

"No. Your move."

"Then what's wrong?" he asked, his demeanour turning impatient.

"Nothing. I'm just trying to read my book."

Eisuke exhaled loudly in annoyance and slumped in his chair, crossing his arms. When I glanced up at him, he had a petulant look on his face. "You know, you're being overly difficult. Just spill it so you can get over it and put some effort into the game." He gestured absently to the board.

Despite my forced calm, my back stiffened at his words, and my words came out with a hard edge to them. "There's nothing to tell, so quit bugging me. You're the one who needs to focus on the game more." My eyes met his. "I'm only vaguely surprised you're still as bad as the first time we played."

This time he was the one who went rigid. His eyes narrowed but he retained his posture. "I could say the same about your basketball."

I slammed the book shut. "What would you know about it? You haven't come to check on me since you left me to train by myself."

"Because I injured my ankle," he pointed out with a growl. "Why would I come to see you train, anyway? What would I see? You fooling around with some spoiled rich kid who gets anything he wants just by looking at it?" He scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"That spoiled rich kid," I said through clenched teeth, "Is your captain."

"He won't be for long," Eisuke promised with a stern expression. "Once I'm on the team they'll be begging _me_ to be captain."

Once again something from my dream intruded on my thoughts; Eisuke facing off against Akashi, slowly advancing with a self-satisfied smirk and eyes full of challenge. Sure, it wasn't real, but I couldn't seem to convince my now-churning stomach of that fact – something about it _felt_ real, or at least more than a little relevant.

I played off my sudden uneasiness with a derisive snort. "Do you actually believe what comes out of your mouth? He was the captain of the Generation of Miracles. What makes you think you have a chance at taking the position of captain from him?"

"I've got more than just a chance. I'll be better than him; I'll _beat_ him." His hand that was resting on the table clenched into a fist.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Had my dream been some kind of psychic sense? Did I even have any ancestral history of psychic practices? When had Eisuke suddenly developed this urge to overcome Akashi? "Beat him? You've got to be joking. Do you think wearing the Rakuzan jersey just automatically makes you the best?"

"I'm gonna do it." It was like he hadn't registered a single word I'd said. "And once I've taken him down, I'll go after every member of the Generation of Miracles and beat them, too." For a minute, the fierce look in his eyes stunned me into silence. I had no idea Eisuke had such determination inside him, and from the way he was gazing at Akashi's empty seat, it seemed he was set on achieving his promise.

But then his words registered, and I shook my head decisively. Just because I'd had some freakishly-accurate dream of them going head-to-head one-on-one didn't mean it was going to happen. The sheer difference in their skill was enough to convince me that Eisuke's declaration was just a pipe dream, and any attempt at pursuing it would only result in severe disappointment.

"Oshiro-san," I said and leaned forward a little, "They won the Junior High School Nationals three years in a row. There's no way you can win against them, they're too good. And you definitely can't hope to win against Seijuro."

Eisuke's eyes abruptly became dark, and when they fixed themselves on me, I had the sudden urge to shrink back into my seat. His voice was heated as he asked, "'Seijuro', huh? What ever happened to 'Akashi'?" He cocked his head to the side. "When did you guys become best buddies? Was it while you were training? No, that isn't it; I bet it was while you were at his house playing _Shogi_." There was no hiding the note of disgust in his voice when he said the last part.

He planted his palms on the table and stood, gazing down at me, his searing blue eyes almost as piercing as Akashi's intense red-and-gold gaze. Suddenly, I noticed the way his slightly wavy black hair fell over his forehead, the bangs lightly brushing his eyebrows, the colour so deep it was charcoal. As we stared at each other, my eyes paid special attention to the way his large hands clenched into fists on the table, and how he stood taller than any other boy in the room.

 _Is this… really Eisuke?_

I continued to stare into his distinctly blue eyes as he said, "You know, I'm glad you two have each other. At least this way I know you have someone to run to and confess all your troubles. You don't need me, right? Right?" When I remained silent – from sheer shock – he snatched up his bag and muttered, "Yeah, thought not."

I was still gaping after his large, gangly form as he quickly left the library.

* * *

That afternoon, I experienced something that had never happened to me before; fifteen minutes past the time everyone had already left for home, I still sat in my seat and stared at some unknown spot in front of me, utterly dazed.

For the first time in my life, I was in detention.

The first thought that had entered my mind was how much my aunt was going to kill me if she found out about this, but I quickly shrugged that concern away. Since this was simply a one-off case of missed homework, Natsuko-sensei had assured me that she wouldn't notify Oba-san. However, my relief was very short-lived.

Dread squeezed my throat as another, much more sinister thought entered my mind, and my eyes widened with cold clarity. Oh God… _Akashi was going to kill me._

My sentence was only twenty minutes of solitude to complete my chemistry questions – which lay completed on the desk beside me – but the remaining five minutes were surely the longest of my life. While I waited, sinister images of Akashi standing in the gym furiously pacing and wondering where I was tormented me over and over. I glanced up at the clock, silently begging the time to tick away faster.

 _Three minutes… I wonder what Akashi's doing now…_

Just picturing his furious miss-matched eyes made me flinch. And when I imagined what his first words would be…

' _You think you have any chance of beating Chinami? Perhaps you don't care if the whole school finds out about your secret. If that's the case, I won't waste my time anymore._ '

Groaning, I buried my face in my hands, silently counting the seconds until my release. As I did, thoughts bounced about, tormenting me; why was this suddenly happening to me? I was a star student – the best in my class, and if not for Akashi, the school! Was it because of all the training I was doing? If I continued on this gruelling schedule with him… would my grades begin to suffer? I sighed. All because of a stupid bet…

After what felt like hours, the time was almost up. Glancing at the clock, I began to count down.

 _10…_

 _9…_

 _8…_

 _God, I hope Akashi's in a good mood._

 _5…_

 _4…_

 _Surely he'll understand?_

 _2…_

 _1…_

I bolted out of my chair and out the door in a matter of seconds, racing to Natsuko-sensei's office with my completed homework in my hand. When I arrived, she received it with a smile, and then proceeded remind me of any future repercussions that would result if I ever pulled a stunt like this again, with that pleasant smile still in place. I gulped and nodded emphatically.

Finally I was racing at top speed to the gym, red hair falling out of my messy bun and falling into my face; impatiently, I swiped it away. I skidded to a halt in the doorway to the gym, unsure of what to expect. Despite all the terrible visions I'd conjured in my head of him waiting in the shadows to spring on me when I arrived, I wasn't prepared to find Akashi standing in the middle of the court, clutching the ball, his back to me.

Rubbing my hand across my forehead, I rushed inside and placed my bag next to the door, then made my way over to him. I stopped in front of him, eyes on the ground because I was too anxious of what I would find in his. Clearing my throat, I began hesitantly, "I'm really, _really_ sorry. I was kept back in class by Natsuko-sensei for some chemistry homework I didn't complete. Akashi… there was nothing I could do."

When there was no reply, I bit my lip and glanced up at him from underneath my lashes. He was surveying me intently with those piercing red and orange-gold eyes that belied no emotion, causing me to squirm uncomfortably. The tension between us was so large I swore my bones creaked.

Finally I couldn't take anymore and blurted, "Are you angry?"

"…Yes."

I flinched and teased my lip again. His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly and I immediately released it. "I'm really sorry –"

"Stop saying that."

"Okay." The urge to seize my lip almost overcame me.

After another moment of tense silence, he cocked his head in a neutral yet sinister manner. "Koizumi-san… Do you want to beat Chinami?"

"Y-Yes..."

His head returned to its vertical position as he said in a deadpan tone, "I don't think you do."

I blinked in confusion. "Huh? Of course I do –"

"If you wanted to win," he coolly interrupted, "You would be training your hardest every day; training until you couldn't walk or move, and then forcing yourself to get up and do it all again. Only then would I believe you truly intend to beat Chinami."

My eyes were wide with disbelief at his words. Had I just _heard_ him right? Just what in the hell did he think these last two weeks had been for? "But – I _have_ been trying my hardest! I've put my body through hell for two straight weeks, trying to push myself to keep up with your instruction! I've been training until I can barely get out of bed in the morning! I want to beat Chinami!"

"No," he said softly, "You don't. You don't really care all that much if the entire school knows what Chinami does." He glanced down at the ball still clutched in his hands, expression as serene as ever. "Perhaps I am wasting my time here."

All of a sudden I wasn't nervous; instead, anger engulfed me at his harsh accusations and clouded my better judgement. Perhaps it was the stress weighing on me from the entirety of my day, but before I thought any better of it, I seized the ball from his grasp and held it up between us.

"What makes you think you have the right to just trod on my efforts for the past two weeks, huh? _Our_ efforts? I've done nothing but try – try and try and try, until I hurt so bad my muscles twitch at random. Didn't we make a promise?" I glared fiercely up at him and spun on the spot, jumping and releasing the ball at the apex. It sailed through the air and bounced off the ring with a loud _twang!_

Spinning to face him again, I pointed in the direction of the failed hoop. "Didn't you swear to make me beat Chinami? I thought you said you always keep your promises!"

"That promise stands along with the prospect that I get what I want out of our deal," he explained, seemingly unfazed by my outburst. "However, with every passing day that prospect becomes less likely. I train you, but see no evidence of effort or progress. Did you think that just because I decided to help you, you would suddenly attain the power and skill needed to beat her?" He shook his head. "A great deal of personal effort needs to be made, and you are not contributing enough. Hence the reasoning behind my theory that you truly do not care how this bet between you and Chinami will end."

By the end of his tirade, my hands were in shaking fists at my sides. I glared up at him, my mind in shambles. Surely he wasn't actually going to leave me to train by myself…? Just imagining it made my gut clench with despair, and the breath began to saw in and out of my lungs at a faster rate. The anger rapidly dissipated from my body, leaving me vulnerable and at a loss for options.

"Please…" I took a deep breath and made an effort to still the shaking in my voice. "Please, Akashi. I'll try harder, I promise. I'll put in everything I have to accomplish this goal – to win this bet." I met his mismatched eyes with my blazing green ones. "I _have_ to beat Chinami."

For a full minute there was only air between us as we stared each other down, sizing each other up. Despite the fact that I was channelling every ounce of determination and desperation I had into my gaze alone, I felt like his were burning a hole through the back of my head.

Everything I had built for myself over the past five years, every ounce of emotion I had carefully locked away in my heart, was riding on his next response.

"Why do you have to beat her?"

I was taken aback, wondering if I had just heard him right. "Because… If I don't, she'll tell the whole school my secret?"

Suddenly his gaze became intent, as though he wanted nothing more than to reach into the depths of my mind and learn all of my secrets. "And what is this secret that you're trying so desperately to keep?"

I stiffened immediately, and took a small step back. "I thought the deal was you had to wait until I win before I tell you that?"

"I'm not accustomed to waiting for anything, and as it stands, the chance of you obtaining victory from this match is not encouraging."

"Then why would I tell you if you're just going to ditch me anyway?" I challenged, placing my hands over my hips.

"Consider this a reaffirmation of your determination to win." He closed the small distance I'd put between us in a single stride. "Tell me, please. I'm running out of patience."

"You're not making sense," I muttered unsteadily, shaking my head back and forth. "Why are you so adamant to know this now?"

"Disclose the information to me and we'll continue with your training, this I swear. What is it Chinami knows about you?"

"This wasn't the deal."

"The deal is null; I'll decide if your reasons are enough motivation to put you through the training I have planned." He wasn't backing off even an inch.

My eyes flitted around the room, hands twisted together in agitation. Once again I took a step back from him. "J-Just train me. I'll have motivation for it, I promise."

"Setsuna." The smooth way he said my name caused shivers to run down my spine, but he was regarding me without a shred of compassion in his penetrating eyes. "I'm tired of waiting. I won't spend another minute training you until you tell me the information I want to know."

His casual announcement hit me like a slap in the face. He wouldn't train me anymore?

My thoughts immediately skidded to a halt, and I dropped my eyes. It is common knowledge that when an animal is backed into a corner, it will lash out suddenly and instinctively at anything in order to escape. I knew that urge existed in people as well, but I myself had never experienced that instinct… until now.

"Liar."

My gaze was on his chest, but I saw his body harden all at once, as though he'd just had to control the urge to leap forward and seize me by the neck. "I advise you to think about what you say to me before you say it."

Unfortunately for him – and me – I was very much past that point. I continued to stare daggers at his chest as I exclaimed, "The only reason you want to know about me is so that you can use it against me later; you said it yourself. You don't care if I win the bet or not. So don't lie to me and say you've got big plans for me if I tell you, because it's all a load of bull!"

By the end of my tirade, my voice had escalated slightly louder than was necessary. I took a deep breath and was about to continue when he prevented my words.

"I don't deny what I said. One day, I will make good on the information I glean from you. However, I have not said word of a lie to you since you begged me to train you."

I looked at him, and a chill seized me from the neck down. His eyes were cold and calculating as he said, "If you ever insult me in such a way again, I will ensure it is me, not Chinami, who ruins your life."

Did he even realise how frightening he was when he said things like that? As I stared up at him in trepidation, something clicked in the back of my mind; this wasn't the usual Akashi I was dealing with. This exceptionally shrewd, aloof person in front of me was… somehow different. I could almost feel the change in character.

 _Just who is he?_

Strangely, his gold eye seemed to flash at me, betraying the volcano of anger I knew rested underneath.

' _I thought I knew him. But then I discovered that he wasn't who I thought he was, that I didn't know anything about Akashi Seijuro, and neither does anyone else._ '

I backed up a step. Then another. And another. Unnerving red and orange-gold eyes traced my every movement, and when my foot rose again, his chilling voice prevented another step.

"Tell me, Setsuna."

Panic had me in its grasp. I wasn't ready for this; how could I possibly explain to him about my past... about what I had done? My breath hitched, I shook my head and turned away, hastening for the door.

"If you leave now, don't bother coming back."

I froze. Then faced him across the court. "Why can't you just leave it alone? Don't you understand how hard this is for me? Why do you have to do this for your own benefit?" My voice rose to a near-shout. "Haven't you ever done something simply out of the goodness of your heart?"

I hadn't particularly expected for my words to have a great effect, but if they had, it certainly wasn't to make his demeanour even icier.

"Tell me."

Closing my eyes in defeat, I whirled and snatched up my bag, leaving him standing in the middle of the court as I left the gym.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen:**

The constant _tink_ of utensils scraping against plates filled the slightly awkward silence that arrested the table. Oji-chan sat at the head of the table, Oba-san across from me, both staring intently at the television in the corner. Normally I wouldn't treat this as odd in the slightest, but the subtle hints that stood glaringly obvious to me kicked that hopeful notion out of my head; how my uncle clenched his chopsticks in his fist, and the way my aunt was rhythmically tapping her fingernail against the wooden surface.

God, maybe they _were_ going to get a divorce.

But unfortunately, I knew what this was about – or rather, I knew that I _didn't_ want to know what this was about.

That being said, I began eating my salad slightly faster, but was quickly caught out by my uncle when he noticed my sudden progress. "Busy night, Setsuna-chan?" With my mouth stuffed, I nodded. "Hmm… Well, don't take off too quickly; there's something I have to talk to you about."

I choked.

Across from me, Oba-san tensed, and my pose mirrored hers. My uncle leaned over and slapped me on the back. "You okay?"

Coughing, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand – while my aunt tossed me a disgusted look – and nodded. "I'm fine. What… did you want to talk about?"

He crossed his arms and fixed me with a look that had me shifting uncomfortably. "Your aunt tells me –" I gulped in trepidation and eyed the door "– that you've been staying back after school to study with someone?"

I had to fight to keep myself from sagging in relief, and almost imperceptibly my aunt's shoulder's deflated. "Um… yeah."

"Are you struggling with your studies?" he asked, voice laced with concern. "Should I be worried?"

"No, no, of course not," I hurriedly reassured. "Just making sure I'm ready for my final exams."

"Hmmm…" His arms folded as he gazed up at the ceiling in thought. "Who's helping you study again?"

"Akashi Seijuro," my aunt suddenly piped up, looking slightly more cheerful. "Akashi Masaru's son."

My uncle's eyes widened. "Akashi… Masaru?" There was disbelief on his face as he turned to me. "His son goes to your school?"

"Yeah." I flicked at my salad with my chopstick. "He's the captain of the basketball team… And the school's star academic," I added, scowling.

When I glanced up, my uncle was tapping his chin. "That his father would allow him to attend a regular high school… I would have thought he'd been home-schooled by an exceptional academic." Suddenly he turned to me, and his face was grim. "You've been spending afternoon's with this boy?"

Blinking in surprise, I replied, "Yes?"

"Where?"

"He's been staying late after school to help me."

"And?"

I glanced at Oba-san, then back at him, at a loss. "And what?"

He sighed. "You don't honestly expect me to believe he's doing this for free? A boy raised in such a well-connected family doesn't go giving handouts just like that." He leaned toward me suddenly, and I had to hastily move back to prevent him from head-butting me. "Does he want something from you?" His wide, suspicious eyes latched on my face made me squirm, and his voice was deep when he asked, "Is he making you go out with him?"

"W-What?" I definitely hadn't been prepared for that assumption. "What are you talking about, Oji-chan?"

My aunt snorted. "Don't be ridiculous, Fumio. Akashi wouldn't get anything out of a relationship with Setsuna." Her eyes had a slight gleam when they met mine across the table. "Right?"

Oji-chan shook his head, frowning; he still hadn't backed off. "Aito, don't underestimate our Setsuna-chan. She's a smart, pretty girl; any guy would be lucky to have her." Suddenly, a slight sheen crossed his light green eyes, and his fist clenched above his heart. "He would have to be a very special man indeed to catch my Setsuna-chan's eye."

Unable to comprehend how the conversation had reached such a state, I began frantically calculating my chances of making it to my room without arousing suspicion. "Uh, I don't think so. Akashi's not after that with me, and anyway, I'm not interested in that kind of thing." Was that a flush I was feeling in my cheeks?

"Really… Well then, what is it?"

 _Damn._ _If it's not one thing, it's another._ As my uncle awaited my answer, a bead of sweat rolled down my temple. If my aunt found out the real reason he was helping me… _Come on Setsuna – think! What would Seijuro Akashi want my help with…?_

Absolutely nothing.

"Setsuna? Is there a reason he's helping you?" Even my aunt was looking on with interest.

 _No time left! Just say something!_

"He's not very good at Shogi, so he wants me to teach him some techniques!"

The words came out slightly louder then intended. Immediately my uncle's eyes widened, then shone with admiration as he smiled down at me. "Hmmm… Our Setsuna, teaching the son of Akashi Masaru how to play Shogi." He began to chuckle. "Well, what else could I have expected?"

"Nothing at all," I hastily agreed, my voice slightly high as I laughed with him. My aunt eyed me suspiciously, and I chose that moment to make my exit. "Um, if it's alright with you Oji-chan, Oba-san, I have a lot of homework to do. May I be excused?"

He waved his hand at me. "Sure, sure, go do your studies. And work on some Shogi strategies while you're at it," he added, winking. "If you're anything like your father, the only struggle you'll have with the game is finding a worthy opponent!"

Nodding, I returned my plate to the kitchen and raced up to my room, still perplexed from the strange conversation.

* * *

I sat in the library, book in front of me, eating dumplings. Outside, the distant shouts of students playing various sports could be heard over the twittering of small birds as the sun shone brightly through the windows. When my eyes wandered the room, I saw groups of people chatting happily or studying intently for final exams. It should have been a wonderful day.

If only the seat across from me didn't look so empty.

I was definitely being avoided, and a strange sensation filled my chest as I studied the chair. Truthfully, I felt guilty about what I'd said to him yesterday; the conversation I had overheard between my aunt and uncle that morning frightened me, and I'd unfairly taken my anxiety out on him. Albeit grudgingly, I understood why he would have no desire to see me today.

 _Yeah, but he was being stupid as well!_ My inner rationale pointed out angrily.

I frowned. He had been acting weird – ever since our lunch with Midorima-san and Takao-san, a certain fire had been ignited in Eisuke's eyes. Suddenly it seemed that the over-confident, knuckle-headed boy I knew to be Oshiro Eisuke had been replaced with someone who was similar yet… unfamiliar. Yesterday, for the first time, his true colours had been revealed.

And what was with this sudden desire to beat every single member of the best junior basketball team in Japan? Was it to prove his ability to Akashi, easily the most talented basketball player in the school, perhaps even the nation?

" _I'm gonna do it. And once I've taken him down, I'll go after every member of the Generation of Miracles and beat them, too._ "

I rolled my eyes at the memory. In some ways, I supposed he was still the _baka_ I knew. But… how had this sudden undesirable change come about?

" _You know, I'm glad you two have each other. At least this way I know you have someone to run to and confess all your troubles._ "

I snapped the book shut in frustration, then packed my things away and stood. Since it seemed I was going to be spending my lunchtime alone anyway, I decided to go for a walk around the grounds to clear my buzzing mind.

Soon after I was gazing up at the clear sky with a refreshed sense of motivation. Sure, Eisuke was avoiding me today, but eventually he would make an appearance; he always did. And when he vacated his usual seat in the library, I would apologise for my words yesterday and he would do the same in that elusive way of his. I stretched my hands to the sky and yawned –

"Oof!"

My butt met the ground with an impolite _thump!_ Rubbing my arm, I quickly stood and held out a hand to the girl in front of me. "Sorry –"

Chinami glared up at me from her position on the ground. "Watch where you're going, you lumbering elephant!"

My apologetic demeanour instantly faded, and I returned her furious glower with my own. Geez, could a girl get a break? "Oh, it's you. In that case, I hope that was your head that hit my elbow just then."

She was silent, surprised at my words – myself as well – and I seized the opportunity to step around her and continue on my walk.

She was quick to recover, however. "How's the training going? Still think you can defeat me?" She laughed when I froze, and I heard her footsteps approach. "Who are you kidding? You don't stand a chance, Setsuna- _chan_."

When she stepped in front of me, I met her light brown eyes with my dark green ones. "I think you're the one who's kidding yourself, Suzuki. You're naïve if you think I haven't spent every spare moment I can find training my butt off to beat you."

Her taunting smile faded and was replaced by an unpleasant scowl. "Training with Akashi-san?" Her hands met her hips. "I know about the two of you."

"What does that mean?"

Her frown turned to a sneer. "Don't play dumb. Meeting in secret after school, training together in private… 'Practicing basketball'." She made quotation marks with her fingers, and then scoffed haughtily at me. "You must be paying him or something."

I frowned at her words, irritated. Why was everyone assuming that he was only helping me for a price? My inner voice piped up, _He is only helping you for a price. A very hefty price._ I shook my head; that was true, but it still annoyed me that everyone else would think that about him.

Tilting my chin up, I said with as much disdain as I could muster, "Akashi's not helping me because he wants money. He's rich, remember?"

I expected my words to have stalled her for a moment, but instead they seemed to have the opposite effect – her sneer turned even more ugly as she said, "You're right, he wouldn't want your money. So, are you having sex with him then?"

My jaw dropped. What the… How in the… _Huh_?

My face was the picture of shock and outrage as I sputtered, "N-No way in hell! You're crazy for even thinking that!"

Her chilling laugh froze the expression on my face. "Oh Setsuna-chan, could you be any more obtuse? Everyone already knows."

Silence met her answer. What did she mean… everyone knew? Knew _what_? I tried to keep my expression neutral as I asked, "What are you talking about now?"

She seemed to relish the question, flipping her immaculately styled hair over her shoulder. "You didn't really think you could get away with it, did you? That no one would notice the most popular guy in the school was spending his time with a single girl? A snot-nosed little _nobody_." Her brow rose contemptuously. "Naturally, they all assumed the most obvious explanation for his sudden interest in you. Oh well, he is a boy after all."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Everyone thought… No. She was only telling me this to intimidate me – and I refused to admit it was working.

I fixed her with a hard glare. "If you really think Akashi is that kind of person, then you don't know him at all. Don't think for a second you're fooling me; if that's what everyone thinks, it's because you told them so." Suddenly a thought clicked into place. "Are you doing all this… so that you can have Akashi yourself?"

She studied me for a moment, and then glanced down at her nails. "You don't deserve him."

"So everything that has happened… The reason you're threatening to tell everyone something that is important to me… You're doing it because of _Akashi_?" My voice was incredulous.

"I'm doing it because someone like you has no business trying to insert yourself into higher-class society!" she exclaimed, eyes blazing. "There's nothing I detest more than a wannabe schoolgirl who thinks she's better than she is! You should have stayed where you belonged – flying under the radar where no one could see you. You would've been safe there. You and your family." She sneered then, looking me up and down with such contempt I was momentarily taken by surprise. "After I win this bet, I'm going to make sure you remember your place, and stay there."

With that, she rudely barged past me, heading back for the school buildings; I stared after her in astonishment, unable to comprehend her vehement animosity. The bell signalling the end of lunch prevented me from contemplating our encounter, and I quickly headed back to class, forcing the incident from my mind.

That afternoon I headed to the gym as usual. I hadn't seen Eisuke all day, or Akashi; unease was settling in my stomach with every step I took closer to the gym, and I wondered why.

" _I won't spend another minute training you until you tell me the information I want to know._ "

My head shook back and forth. No, that wasn't going to happen. He would be there when I arrived, assess me with those piercing red and orange-gold eyes, and proceed to train me ruthlessly as per usual. I quickened my pace when I caught sight of the gym. His abrupt demand yesterday was out of character and definitely outside the terms of our deal; he would have realised that.

I entered the gym, only to find emptiness in his usual spot on the side of the court.

Slowly, my eyes closed. So he really had left… Some part of me knew this would happen; after all, he always kept his promises. But I hadn't expected the reality of the situation to leave me feeling so hopeless. There was still a long way for me to go, so much I had to learn, before I stood a chance against Chinami. And my last chance at winning had just deserted me.

Man, this really had turned out to be a sucky day.

 _No! I won't be beaten by this._

My eyes snapped open, and I glared at the spot where Akashi should have been standing. _I'm not giving up yet – there's too much at stake. Just you watch, I'll do it even without your help, Seijuro! I'll win, no matter what!_

Marching over to the storeroom, I threw the doors open, snatched up the nearest basketball I could find, and proceeded to practice everything he had taught me until now with a refreshed sense of determination. Envisioning my opponent before me, I twisted, shuffled, crossed and back-stepped. My shots were still terrible, but my floor technique had improved. Maybe I could ask Midorima-san for some more tips…

I trained as hard as I could, but when home time came, I felt more hopeless than ever.

* * *

The next day began the same as the first. A small flicker of hope sprung in my chest; today Eisuke would return to our place in the library, we would apologise, and he would reassure me that everything would be alright, perhaps even come back and help me to train after I tell him about Akashi's leaving me. This prospect carried me through the first three hours of classes in the morning, but when I entered the library slightly late, it was to find his usual seat empty yet again.

As I made my way to my chair, movement from the corner of my eye stopped me. A flash of red headed to the exit, only to be stopped by a group of excited-looking first years. My eyes remained glued to him as he paused and smiled politely at them, red and orange-gold eyes cool as ever. His lips moved, and immediately they laughed; I narrowed my eyes and began to stalk over, fury rising quickly.

He was listening to something one of the students was saying when three other people joined the gathering. I immediately ceased walking. Chinami smiled brightly as she greeted him and the other students, and they began chatting to each other. As they did, the older second-years subtly inserted themselves in front of the first-years, who took the hint and called a small goodbye to Akashi.

I wasn't about to stand here and watch; adopting a serene expression, I turned and continued back to my chair. When I glanced up, he was inclining his head graciously to her and slipping out the door. She walked away with a self-satisfied smirk and her little minions following close behind.

Sighing in resignation, I plonked down in my chair and searched my bag for my latest book, only to remember that I had left it on my bedside table last night. Instead, my fingertips found my favourite old-English novel, Pride and Prejudice. I smiled slightly as I gazed at the cover.

 _I wonder if Akashi got to the end? Probably not… he mentioned that he didn't like the characters very much._

I smiled bitterly, opened to the first page, and began to read.

That afternoon as I approached the gym I refused to acknowledge the dwindling fire of anticipation that had yet to leave. _There was no way Akashi would be there today – there was no way…_

The dismally empty gym confirmed it.

Nope. Once again, I was by myself. Just like yesterday I felt a pang of disappointment in my chest, but shook my head and quickly headed for the supply room.

Fifteen minutes into the training session, I began to notice a fault in my footwork. I was attempting to cross from my left to my right while executing a quick spin, but the ball clipped my foot and rolled away. After three tries I finally executed it perfectly, and then decided to push myself even further; try the move with a double-cross and spin on the second.

Immediately I realised that this was going to be easier said than done. No matter how many times I tried, I couldn't seem to control the ball enough to do the spin properly. Frustrated, I went for it again, focusing every ounce of concentration I could muster in controlling the ball on the spin.

I could almost hear the cool, refined tenor of Akashi's voice calmly calling out instructions. _Focus on the ball, Setsuna. Maintain your centre of balance; if your feet get too close you'll fall._

Dribbling to my imaginary opponent, I feinted to the left and crossed to the right once it followed. I waited for it to change directions before I bounced once and then spun, ball in my right hand, then dribbled again as I exited the spin. I grinned, feeling victorious, but as I went to switch hands, I felt the ball clip my knee.

"Dammit!" I cursed, bracing my hands on my knees as I panted.

"Aw, you almost had it!"

I spun around, eyes latching on and squinting at the figure leaning in the doorway, taking in his appearance. The boy smirking at me from his perch on the door was exceptionally handsome, beautiful even, with yellow-blonde hair and a tall, athletic build. Definitely not someone I was familiar with.

"Are you looking for someone?"

His yellow-gold eyes brightened, and he pushed off the wall. "Yep! Are you Kosumi Setsuna?"

"Koizumi," I corrected, placing a hand on my hip. "That would be me."

"Ah, that's good," he said lamely, sheepishly scrubbing the back of his head. He smiled again, and there was something about his mannerly, slightly awkward composure that put me at ease. "Midorimacchi said you would be here… with Akashicchi. Is he taking a bathroom break?"

I frowned at his strange choice of names, then mentally shrugged. "Sorry, Akashi doesn't come here anymore. As of yesterday, in fact." I gazed at the ground as I said it, more aware of my predicament than ever.

"Oh, really?" he said, disappointed. "Strange – Midorimacchi swore he would be here… Oh well…" Silence ensued, and I could feel his eyes measuring me as I crossed my arms. "Is something wrong?"

Blinking in surprise, I glanced up at him and ran my hand through my hair. "No, nothing at all. Was there something I could pass on to him for you?"

"No, it's fine. I'll talk to him some other time." He cocked his head to the side. "Has he been training you?"

The words temporarily caught me off guard, and I unconsciously replied, "Yes."

"Hmmm…" The way he was measuring me was as though he'd discovered a strange new insect, and he murmured, "Now why would Akashicchi do something like that?"

"What's it to you?" I asked, suddenly impatient with the conversation. Just where was he taking this?

His intrigued expression became even more perplexed. Scrubbing the back of his head again, he blew a small breath. "Ah, this is weird. Sorry, I don't usually get this sort of reception from girls; not that I don't like it or anything… I don't really know what to say…"

I cocked a brow at that. "Are there many girls to compare to?"

He seemed surprised by my personal question, but then chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I guess there are."

"Bet you're pretty popular with the ladies, then," I muttered as I strolled over to the ball. "Must be nice."

When I glanced back, yellow-gold eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, do you mean… You're saying you don't know who I am?"

I blinked. "No. Should I?"

From the way he was gaping at me, I gathered that yes, I should know who this guy was. Guess I made a fairly bad first impression… _Oh well._

"Ah," he sighed in dismay, but then his eyes brightened as though he'd just received an exciting new challenge. "I'm Kise Ryota. Wonderful to meet you!"

I blinked and crossed my arms self-consciously beneath his overly-eager gaze. "N-Nice to meet you…" I frowned. _Kise Ryota_ …. The name was familiar. Where had I heard it? Then it clicked, and I whipped my gaze up to his face, taking in his yellow-blonde hair and attractive appearance with new eyes. "You're the copy-cat of the Generation of Miracles, Kise Ryota."

If it was possible he became even more disheartened at my words. "I'm kind of offended that you recognised me as a basketball player rather than a model…"

"Sorry," I muttered, not in the least repentant. "You're a member of the Generation of Miracles." Without waiting for his reply, I strode forward and stood before him, staring imploringly up into his light eyes, while he met my determined gaze with apparent apprehension.

"Please, Kise-san, would you teach me your basketball?"

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

I hope you enjoyed by introduction of Kise Ryota; bet you weren't expecting him to show up! I felt that poor Setsuna needed an intervention. I can't wait to post the next chapter, it will be entertaining. To write and - I hope - to read.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and given me such helpful feedback. I seriously couldn't do what I do without the inspiration I get when I see my story having an effect. I hope you continue to read, enjoy and review!


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:**

Hey guys, here's the latest on Akashi and Setsuna. Hope you enjoy, and remember, if you have something to say, say it! I love reviews.

* * *

 **Chapter Fourteen:**

He blinked in surprise at my words. "You want me to teach you basketball?"

"Please."

"Why?" His voice was genuinely puzzled.

I bit my lip and twisted the ball around in my hands. I was going to have to explain a good portion of my situation to him if I hoped to get his help…

Tilting my chin, I met his eyes and explained, "Akashi has been training me in return for some important information; but the other day, he decided that he didn't want to wait for it anymore. When I refused to tell him, he left me to train by myself. He was my only chance…" I swallowed and clenched my fists around the ball, recalling the intensity in his left eye that afternoon.

"Only chance for what?" When I glanced at him, Kise was looking at me sympathetically, encouraging me to continue.

"I made a bet with a girl. She kind of… knows something about me, and if I don't win against her in a one-on-one basketball match, she'll tell the whole school about it. I'd never played basketball, so you can guess how much of a bind I was in."

He walked over and startled me by placing a comforting hand on my shoulder and smiling down at me. I twitched with the urge to shrug it off, but suppressed it.

"Setsunacchi," he began, and I raised a brow at his informal rendition of my name, "You don't have to explain. I can guess what happened next; Akashi offered to help you, and then he left you to learn basketball all alone." Kise shook his head in disgust at his friend.

' _Offered'_ _isn't a word I'd use to describe that particular situation,_ I thought to myself, recalling the time I'd had to challenge the high school's genius to a game of Shogi in front of the entire library to have him even acknowledge my request.

"Yeah, that's about what happened," I confirmed.

He nodded, frowning thoughtfully, and then placed his hands on his hips. "All right. No use mulling over it; show me your move from before, and I'll see what I can do to help."

Excitement suffused me at his words and the resolve behind them. "Okay!" _Kise Ryota is going to teach me his basketball!_ This was almost as good as having Akashi here again. Although, if he'd never left, I probably would have already mastered a move like this by now…

 _No, don't think about that now!_

Shaking my head, I moved to the middle of the court and began to bounce the ball. Once again imagining my opponent, I executed the moves with as much concentration as I could muster, but left disappointed when I was met with the same result.

"Hmmm, it seems you're not dribbling wide enough," Kise announced, straightening to his full height. "When you exit your spin, you're swapping to the left hand fine, but you keep the ball too close to your body, causing you to lose your centre of balance and the ball as well. Try it again, this time doing the bounce a little farther away from your body."

I raised a brow, mildly impressed by his knowledgeable proclamation; who said cute guys lacked brains? "Um, sure, I'll try it."

Half a minute later, I was smiling with pride at my success. Impressed, Kise beamed and exclaimed, "It worked! You did it!"

"I guess I did," I murmured, grinning back at him.

"Your fundamentals seem down," he commented. "And you learn pretty fast… Have you ever played basketball before?" I shook my head. "Never? How long have you been training with Akashi?"

"Two weeks," I replied, absently whirling the ball between my hands.

His eyes widened in disbelief, and he blew out a breath. "Guess I should expect that from the former captain of the Generation of Miracles. But still, I'm impressed by how far you've come for an amateur, even with his help. You must really want to win this match."

A vein popped in my forehead at his patronizing words. "Enough that I've had to endure two weeks of physical and mental torture."

He tilted his head quizzically. "Has Akashicchi… been hard on you?"

I merely shrugged, overall not wanting to talk about it and more than ready to get back to training, but his troubled expression made me pause. "What is it?"

"Nothing, it's just… I remember how he used to train us back in junior high, and I'm curious to see if his methods have changed." His eyes were searching when he asked, "How hard has he been on you, really?"

I chewed my lip, thinking back to the time he'd mocked me so harshly for having feelings for him, and then the most recent confrontation; both incidents still made me shudder with dismay. But… I recalled his grudging kindness the night he'd said those cruel words, how he'd dragged me along after him to take me to his house and let me use his shower, and then patiently played Shogi with me while I collected myself before heading home. And after that, he'd come to my house and fooled Oba-san into thinking our training sessions were in fact tutoring sessions. And training with him everyday… Sure, it had been tough, but I got a strange gratification from being with him during those brief hours.

"It was okay," I said. "I mean, sometimes he was so unpleasant I almost called the whole thing off, and other times he showed a grudging kind of benevolence that was strange yet… nice. It's like he has bipolar or something. When I met him, I thought he was the personification of 'cold', but as I trained with him, I…" Abruptly I blinked and glanced up at Kise, only to find him stifling a grin. "What?"

"Nothing," he replied, but the smirk had leaked out. "The way you're describing him…" The humour abruptly faded and his lips turned down. "It sounds like an Akashi I once knew."

"What are you talking about?"

He shook his head. "Nothing."

But I was already too interested. Midorima had said something similar about Akashi being different 'back then'. What did 'back then' mean?

"Does this have anything to do with Rakuzan's match against Seirin?" At his questioning look, I explained, "Midorima-san explained it to me one day. Akashi's basketball was beaten by the Phantom Sixth Man, Kuroko."

"Yep, Midorimacchi was right," he confirmed, but despite the cheeriness to his voice, there was a strange ruefulness about him that made me want to know even more. "And Kagami. Both of them together were enough to beat Akashicchi in the Winter Cup finals." Kise held his hands out for the ball, flicking his blonde hair in a very model-like manner, and I had to suppress a snicker as I passed it to him. "It was a turning point for him," he said as he dribbled, and I immediately took up a defensive stance. "I think it was the first time he'd ever been beaten at anything. Afterward, he… wasn't the same."

"What does that mean? What happened to him?" He faked to the left and then twisted to the right, but I had anticipated that and blocked his path.

"Nice block," he commented, grinning. "Akashi used to be what you might call a sore-loser, only on a whole other level. He never lost at anything, no matter what it was." Crossing to his left hand, he attempted to pass me, but I caught up and boxed him in at the sideline. "He took control of situations, even our team, without anyone questioning his authority; it's like he was made to be in charge, but he was always so cold about it. If anyone stood in his way, he removed them without even batting an eye."

That definitely sounded like Akashi. "So how did he change?"

Kise twisted, and then turned back to the right when I fell for it. Stepping forward, he shot the ball at the hoop, and it went in with a soft _swish._ He quickly retrieved the ball and tossed it to me as he adopted a defensive stance. "After his match against Seirin he went off the grid for a few days, and when Midorimacchi went to talk to him, he told me that Akashicchi was different; more 'accepting', not that I know what that meant. But even I noticed the change in him. Although," he pointed out as I began to dribble toward him, "From what you're telling me, it seems Akashicchi is the same as he was before."

 _Great. So I get to experience the old, grumpy Akashi, while everybody else gets to see his good side._ Muttering to myself, I made a dash around Kise, and when his hand shot out, twisted around to escape his grasp. It was an aggressive move, but if executed quickly, could earn me the win. However, he was quick to catch up to me, and I was forced to stop.

"So what information does Akashicchi want from you anyway?"

I tensed, momentarily seizing my dribbling. "The same that the girl holds against me. The reason I'm learning basketball in the first place."

"Hmmm," he said, contemplating while I began to dribble again. "So she's got dirt on you then. But… why would Akashi…?"

"What?"

He rubbed his chin in confusion. "Akashi is at the head of some of the leading business companies in Japan, so he's rich and probably has ears everywhere. If he wanted to get some dirt on you, it wouldn't be hard on his part to do some digging and find something out. To be honest," he mused, "I'm surprised he showed an interest in the whole situation in the first place."

I was reeling from his words, wondering why I'd never thought of this before, and barely had time to respond when he made a lunge for the ball. Immediately I snapped into action and twisted around him, dribbling toward the hoop. Sensing him rapidly approaching from my right, an idea formed in my mind and I reacted without thinking. I stopped in my tracks and took a quick step back, lined up the ball, and quickly released it before Kise could react.

The satisfying swishing of the net had me grinning in triumph. He caught me smiling and reflected it with his own. "Nice shot!"

I retrieved the ball, and as I made my way over asked, "Why would Akashi help me if he could find out anything he wanted otherwise?"

He shrugged. "I was hoping you had some dirt on him or something, and that I could persuade you to tell me." When he winked a golden eye suggestively, I rolled my eyes.

"I'd rather willingly jump into a boiling pit of lava then risk his wrath." Kise laughed, but my mirth was short-lived as another thought occurred to me. "Guess he was just following an impulse, after all. That's what he led me to believe."

Seeing my desolate expression, Kise placed his hand on my shoulder again. "Hey, don't worry, Setsunacchi. If you're that torn up about it then you should talk to him about coming back to train you."

I opened my mouth to reply that I most certainly was not 'torn up about it', when I abruptly heard someone outside grumble, "Kise, are you done in there yet?" I frowned and tried to investigate but his hand tightened, halting me.

Kise's smiled comfortingly down at me, and for a moment, I was flawed by his model-like beauty. "Akashi knows how badly you want to win; how could he not? Even I can see how hard you're trying. I'm not sure why he decided to leave you to train without him, but if you talk to him – make him realise the mistake he made by leaving – he'll have no choice but to help you out. That's the kind of guy my former-captain is." He winked and gave me a thumbs-up.

Two things processed in my brain as he spoke. One, a tall figure had entered the doorway; two, it came streaking at Kise so quickly I barely had time to jump back before he went flying across the court. In his place stood a black-haired boy with his foot raised at the height Kise's head had been just moments before.

He lowered his foot with a huff and straightened his ruffled uniform. "You left me waiting out there while you were in here talking to a girl?" the boy barked out, and even I flinched at the sharpness in the commanding voice. "I thought you came here to speak with Akashi!"

Kise seemed to be out cold on his stomach, but before I moved to check on him he twitched and moaned, rolling onto his arm. Despite the fact that he'd almost knocked his friend unconscious, the boy wasn't in the least remorseful, nor was he finished with his tirade. "You think it's okay to waste my time? I've got finals to study for, _baka_! Do you want me to kick you?"

I blinked. "You already kicked him –"

"– You already kicked me, Kasamatsu-senpai!" Kise moaned from the floor.

"I'll knock you around some more if you don't wrap this up now, _baka_!"

Poor Kise finally managed to stand, rubbing the side of his head as he did. "Sorry senpai, but I can't leave just yet." When Kasamatsu took a threatening step forward, he hastily explained, "Akashi isn't here, so I got talking to Setsunacchi and she needs my help with something."

"I don't care," he grumbled, crossing his arms. "If Akashi's not here, then we're heading back."

"But senpai –"

"We're leaving, Kise. Say goodbye." Marching over, Kasamatsu grabbed a hold of Kise's collar and began unceremoniously dragging him toward the door.

Kise barely had time to choke out, "Good luck with everything, Setsunacchi!" before he was forcibly hauled away.

Still reeling by their abrupt exit, I scratched my red hair in bewilderment and glanced at the clock; I still had another forty-five minutes before I had to be home…

' _If you're that torn up about it then you should talk to him about coming back to train you.'_

I bit my lip, torn; talking to him would involve facing him again, and after two days of silence, I was more reluctant than ever to break it. But if I didn't try, I would be left to train alone and most likely lose the bet against Chinami. As soon as she made that final basket, I'd barely have time to escape out the door before the rumours would start…

No, I couldn't let that happen. I wasn't going to allow Akashi Seijuro to ruin everything I'd strived for these past weeks.

Squaring my shoulders, I replaced the ball and snatched up my bag, heading for the Akashi residence with a fervent stride.

* * *

"May I help you?"

I jumped at the voice, surprised I'd finally received an answer after buzzing for a full three minutes. "Um, is Akashi Seijuro available? I would like to talk to him –"

"Hello? Is someone there?"

Sighing in annoyance, I pressed the button I hadn't noticed before and repeated, "I would like to speak to Akashi Seijuro, please. Is he available?"

"Whom is enquiring?" The voice was male and definitely not accustomed to addressing people of lower social status. In fact, I was positive this was the first time someone had actually dared buzz the gate.

"My name is Koizumi Setsuna. I'm a student at Rakuzan high, so we know each other…" _Try and sound like you know what you're talking about, Setsuna._

"One moment please."

"Sure."

Ten minutes later, I came to realise that 'one moment' in the Akashi household meant a freaking lifetime. Glaring at the gigantic front door from my perch against the stone column gate, I wondered if the butler had forgotten about me standing out here, and turned around, finger raised to press the button again.

"Koizumi-san?"

My finger quickly changed course to the intercom button. "Y-Yes? I'm here."

"I'm afraid Seijuro-sama is busy with his duties, and cannot meet with you at the present time. Would you like me to take a message?"

I scowled at the speaker. Busy, my butt – this was the time he usually spent training with me, so it couldn't be that important. Damn that Akashi, he was avoiding me… Sighing, I rubbed my forehead and replied, "Could you tell him to see me at school tomorrow? We have a… project that really needs to be done."

"Very well. Good day." The click of the speaker going off ended the conversation.

"And good day to you, grumpy old geezer."

I huffed and whirled away, tempted to poke my tongue out at the mansion as I did. "Damn. If there's still time for my day to get worse, I'll adopt Midorima-san's habit of carrying around a lucky item everywhere I go…"

As it turned out, the sun had yet to go down by the time I arrived home. As soon as I walked through the door I heard them; my aunt and uncle were arguing again, and it didn't take a genius to guess what about. Quickly shedding my shoes and jacket, I attempted to tiptoe as quickly as possible to the stairs, but my ears still managed to record everything they were saying.

"I said _no_ , Fumio!" Oba-san's voice was hoarse but firm; obviously they'd been arguing for a while. "Don't you dare say anything."

Oji-chan positively growled, "You don't get to make that decision. She's my niece, so I'll decide what's best for her. Keeping this from –"

"You think dropping a bomb like this is what's best for her? She's struggling with her studies enough as it is; do you want to ruin her future over something that she isn't involved with?"

"Isn't involved with?" he boomed, and I flinched under the weight of my uncle's anger. "Aito, these people _murdered_ _her_ _parents_. She needs to know what's going on."

I froze, my foot touching the top landing. They were talking about…

"I know. I know. But not yet; we are going to do everything we can to keep this from happening, and at the end when it's all resolved, we'll tell her." There was a note of hysteria in her voice.

"That could take months," my uncle rumbled. "What if the trial goes ahead? She'll be forced to give a statement –"

My aunt broke in with a shriek, "That's not going to happen! We won't allow it." She took a deep breath. "Look, everything is going to be fine. We'll keep monitoring the situation and take action if it gets out of hand. Just… leave Setsuna out of this."

I closed my eyes, then hastened to my room, quietly shutting the door. The rumble of my uncle's voice still echoed, but fortunately, I couldn't hear the words.

* * *

The next morning was worse than any I'd ever had. My eyes were surrounded by dark shadows from a night of restless sleep; I'd tossed and turned, flitting in and out of dreams and nightmares while a multitude of faces with glowing red eyes flickered through my head too fast to process. I'd barely kept track of what we were doing in class. By the time I walked into the library, I desperately hoped to see Eisuke there, sitting in the same place as always, but once again suffered a strangling disappointment when I saw it empty.

I plonked into my seat with no enthusiasm whatsoever, itching to play Shogi. I was surprised how much Eisuke's absence was affecting me; his stubbornness was reaching ridiculous proportions. Maybe he was waiting for me to approach him first…

I threw my head back in aggravation. _What the hell did Eisuke want from me anyway?_

"Hey, what's going on out there?"

"I'm not sure, there are too many people… Isn't that the guy who's supposed to be the new ace for the basketball team?"

 _New ace, huh?_ I smiled evilly. _Better watch out, Seijuro_ …

"Yeah, that's him! He looks really pissed. Think there'll be a fight?"

"I hope so. Most entertainment we get here, anyway… He looks like he's gonna throttle that skinny guy. What's his name again?"

I frowned as something occurred to me. _New ace…_

"The big one or the good-looking one?"

"The big one."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure his name is Oshiro Eisuke. He always sits in here and makes a big ruckus –"

I bolted out of my chair and rushed to the window, almost knocking the two boys out of my way. Outside, a crowd had gathered in a loose circle around a pair of students; one was that boy who loved to buy juice for Chinami, and the other…

 _Oh, God._

I spun and fled out the door, down the stairs, and outside to the commotion. Short as I was, it was difficult pushing my way through the growing throng of people, but when I finally stumbled into the circle, it was at Eisuke's large back as he faced off against the other, significantly smaller boy. For a moment I was hit with a deep feeling of nostalgia, and I had to fight back sudden tears when I glimpsed his blazing blue eyes surrounded by black bangs. I really had missed him…

Shaking my head, I rushed to his side and grabbed his forearm, tugging to get his attention. When he glanced down at me, his deep blue eyes widened in surprise. "Setsuna-chan? What are you doing?"

"No," I grumbled, voice surprisingly hoarse. "What are _you_ doing? You can't fight him! Do you want to get suspended?"

There was a flicker of emotion in his face as I spoke, but then he sighed and his expression became heated again. "I don't care."

"What?" I exclaimed, fisting my hands over my hips. "Of course you do."

"No, I don't," he said, and I was momentarily stumped. Glancing down at me once, he dismissed me by shrugging me off. "Just go, Setsuna. This doesn't concern you."

Suddenly, the boy across from us spoke up, his sneering face catching me off guard. "Actually, it does. In fact, we were just talking about you, _Setsuna-chan_." The way he jeered my name caused my back to stiffen. What in the world was _his_ problem?

Frowning, I asked, "Do I know you?"

"Oh no," he taunted, chuckling. "But I know you. Oh yes, do I know you…"

My frown became more pronounced; who the hell was this guy? I knew he was a friend of Chinami's –

A horrible feeling began to grow in my stomach, and looking at him now only made it worse. No, there was no way… This violated the terms of the bet! Chinami couldn't have told him!

 _Oh God, but what if she had?_

Sensing my growing dread, Eisuke abruptly grabbed my arm and began dragging me toward the edge of the circle. "Don't listen to him, Setsuna. Come with me."

But no matter how fast he hastened me away, it couldn't stop the boy's next words:

"Leaving already? Aw, Setsuna-chan, you're no fun!" His sickly sweet voice adopted a sinister tone. "Well, anyway, say hello to your parent's for me, will you?" I felt Eisuke's hand tighten on my arm as my face drained of blood. "That is, when you go to visit them at the _cemetery_ –"

And then he was gone.

It took me a fraction of a second to process what he was going to do, but no matter how quickly I spun, I knew it would be too slow. "Eisuke, no –!"

The sound of flesh hitting flesh resounded throughout the circle, and a collective gasp went up from the students surrounding me. Eyes wide with shock, I barely processed what was in front of me.

Eisuke stood a few feet in front of me, arm raised in a punching motion, but his fist was caught in the dark grip of someone who was larger even than him. I squinted; Nebuya Eikichi stood in front of the smaller boy, clasping the punch meant for him in a large hand and frowning down at Eisuke.

"You definitely don't want to be doing that in a place like this," he stated in a deep voice. Eisuke scoffed and pulled away with a scowl.

Nebuya turned to the crowd and fixed them with a lethal glower, which had them hustling away at a breakneck pace, muttering to each other. Still in shock, I didn't resist when Eisuke came over and nudged me along. "Come on, let's go."

My eyes wandered the scene, and in the haze of my mind I abruptly remembered something; I glanced up at the windows above us, wondering if those two kids had gotten their fill from the show. Noting all the gaping faces, I concluded that they had and was about to look away when my gaze caught a blazing flash of red.

A familiar pair of red and orange-gold eyes watched us from above. I twitched in surprise as my green eyes met his; it was the first form of interaction we'd had in three days. But just as a small thrill began to course through me, I fully processed what I was seeing, and almost shrunk back in fear.

Akashi was staring down at us with absolute fury in his eyes. I'd never seen such an emotion in them, and I couldn't stop the shudder that ran through me when they latched onto me.

– _desperation in his eyes as they met mine, pleading with me for something. Something essential I was meant to know –_

"Hey, Setsuna-chan! Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing." I tore my gaze away from those frightening, mismatched eyes and focused ahead of me. "Let's just get out of here."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen:**

I trailed behind Eisuke, not really paying attention to where he was leading me; which turned out to be behind the library building. Raking his hand through his thick black hair, he turned and stared down at me with a clenched jaw. Silence filled the space between us as I patiently waited for him to say something.

Apparently he was thinking the same thing, and refused to crack first. I narrowed my eyes, annoyed, and demanded, "What was that about?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with."

"Really?" I asked, eyebrows raised. "Are you sure about that? Because from what I heard, it seems like something I should concern myself with."

He glanced at something behind me and refused to meet my eyes. "You don't. He was just talking bullshit, stabbing in the dark to get a reaction out of you –"

"'Stabbing in the dark'?" I repeated incredulously. "I'd say he was pretty on the mark! And yeah, if he wanted to get a reaction out of me, then it worked!"

"Don't worry about it, all right? I've got it under control."

I scoffed. "Yeah, I can see that. You've got it so under control you're picking fights with second-year's." I crossed my arms, frowning up at him. "Tell me you didn't start that because he was saying stuff about me?"

"The guy was about to ruin everything!" he exclaimed, clenching his fists at his sides. "Did you want everyone to find out about you?"

"So you think it's okay to make me the reason you earned yourself a suspension? That's hardly fair. And what about your goal? How exactly were you planning to make the basketball team sitting on your butt at home?"

Eisuke returned my glower with his own. "What does it matter? It's not like you really support anything I do anyway."

"Not when it's something far-fetched and ridiculous!" I retorted, recalling his irrational pledge to bring down the Generation of Miracles.

He threw his hands in the air. "So wanting to protect your friend is something you'd class as ridiculous?"

"No. But using violence to protect your friend – vowing to defeat the Generation of Miracles to their _faces_ – that's ridiculous!"

His gaze becoming dark and hooded, he dropped his hands and took a step back. "You know what? I don't have to hear this. I did what I did for my own reasons, and I won't listen to you ridicule them." With that, he turned his back to me and marched away.

"Oshiro! Don't walk away from me!" I yelled, but the sound of the bell ringing, signalling the end of lunch, drowned out my cries. Fuming, I stomped the ground, at that moment wishing it were Eisuke's face.

Movement from my right caught my eye, and I turned my furious glower to a small, brown-haired girl who was hesitating at the door to the next building. "Enjoy the show, did you?"

She let out a squeak and hurried inside. I blew out a long breath and rubbed a hand over my face, attempting to calm down. Still worked up from the whole encounter, it took me a few minutes before I remembered that I was supposed to be in a chemistry class.

* * *

That afternoon I meandered through the halls on the way to the gym, not particularly eager to face another training session without Akashi. Around me, a few stragglers hastened to their after-school clubs and activities, but I barely processed them; instead, scenes from lunch that day were replaying over and over again in my mind, while I silently berated myself for what I'd said to Eisuke.

 _You were supposed to apologise to him, not argue with him some more!_ I shook my head at myself. I had been too harsh and said things that probably could have been left unsaid…

I was walking past a seemingly unoccupied classroom, lost in thought, when I saw it. The flash of red was barely there, but enough to halt both my movement and my train of thought. Not daring to breathe, I backed up a step and slowly turned my head, my eyes seeking the five-inch gap in the classroom door.

It was Akashi. Sitting in the classroom, alone, messing with some paperwork during the time he normally would have spent training me…

For the second time that day, fury ignited within me, raging much more fiercely than before. He'd been avoiding me for the past three days, but I would have no more of it.

Akashi was sitting on his butt doing God-knows-what while I was mulling over the probability that every member of the student body would know my secret by the end of the month? While he was supposed to be preventing that from happening? _He'd_ promised _to keep that from happening!_

Yeah, so much for that – Akashi Seijuro always keeps his promise, my ass!

Face heated, I threw open the door and stomped over to his desk, locking my hands on my hips. It was then I realised what he'd been doing; in front of him lay a pile of what looked to be scrap paper, but upon closer inspection turned out to be the tattered pieces of a document of some sort. I glanced at his hands to see him methodically cutting up the paper with a pair of scissors.

Suddenly hesitant, I swallowed once, took a deep breath and shook back my hair. "So this is what you've been 'busy' doing?" When there was no reply, I said, "I came to your house yesterday – looking for you. Did you get my message?"

Again, there was no reaction to my words, no acknowledgement of my existence at all; his lack of response was slowly grating on my already fried nerves. I dropped my arms and curled my hands into fists. _Stay calm, Setsuna, stay calm…_

"I thought that butler seemed a little too eager to get rid of me," I said slowly, voice trembling from suppressed rage. "Guess you had something to do with that." His eyes were passive as he carefully cutting into the document with intense concentration. "Are you going to ignore me forever?"

No response. I narrowed my eyes.

"Fine. If you don't want to talk, I will." Dragging a chair over to the desk, I plunked it down opposite him and took a seat. I placed my arms on the table and leaned forward.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking over the past few days, after our last practice session in the gym, and I've realised something. I think you're a fraud, Akashi."

Almost imperceptibly his pale fingers twitched around the scissors. Emboldened, I continued on as images from all that had happened within the last few weeks played in my mind.

"You've been lying to yourself, and to me. You're always so cold and aloof to everyone, keeping them at arms length; I wonder how you manage to run a business with your lack of social skills. But what pisses me off the most is how you keep saying you only play basketball to win, when I know you got over that a while ago. Around the time Rakuzan was defeated by Seirin; or rather, when Kuroko defeated _you_."

This time there was no mistaking the tension in his frame as he steadfastly refused to meet my eyes. Despite his detached composure, my words were beginning to have an effect, but I was already too worked up to be concerned.

"I know that Kuroko defeated you in the Winter Cup last season, but what I think is more important was that he defeated your view of basketball. Midorima-san told me." I swallowed as I said the last part, suddenly hoping I wasn't getting Midorima into trouble for this. "He and Kise… told me about you and Kuroko. You trained him to recognise and use his talents, and in the end, he used them against you."

I glanced up at Akashi, silently imploring him to look at me. "That had to suck, no matter how big of a wall you put up between you and your emotions. But what had to suck the most was admitting to yourself that your basketball wasn't strong enough – that for probably the first time in your life, you had been on the receiving end of defeat, and at the hands of the person whom you'd practically given the tools to do so."

My words weren't reaching him; rather than the impacting effect I'd hoped to induce, Akashi seemed more serene than ever, as though I was merely a fly buzzing around the classroom instead of earnestly imploring him to admit his feelings.

"Akashi, this could've been a good thing! Before you became so focused on winning, I heard you loved playing basketball for the excitement it brought you," I said, recalling Midorima's words that afternoon at the café. "I imagine Kuroko's view on basketball was similar to your own, back when you were his captain."

He hadn't moved an inch from his original position, his red and orange-gold eyes focused on the task in front of him. Without meaning to, I leaned forward, intent on gaining a reaction out of him. "Doesn't the fact that Kuroko's basketball prevailed over yours suggest to you that maybe this whole ideal you have on being the best isn't the way to do things? I know you've thought about this already," I pointed out, crossing my arms. "When I asked you that one time in practice if you enjoyed basketball, you were shocked by my question – too shocked. As though you'd already heard the question before, from someone close to you." I paused, studying his reactions intently. "It was Kuroko, wasn't it? He tried convincing you before that you were going down the wrong path… that you were straying from your original self. Like you were becoming a different person." Suddenly everything Midorima and Kise had been saying to me began to make sense, and the pieces slowly came together right there in that classroom. "Your basketball changed. Your perspective on victory changed. _You_ changed. Didn't you? The reason Kuroko felt the need to challenge you so badly… was because he didn't like the person you had become."

 _Kuroko isn't the bad guy…_

So then, what did that make Akashi?

I was so caught up in my own thought process that I didn't notice when he suddenly seized his cutting; his eyes still cast downwards led me to believe he still wasn't taking in a single thing I was saying.

"The Akashi from before… what happened to him?" When he refused to even acknowledge my questions, I slapped my hand down on the table impatiently. "Akashi! Answer me, dammit!" But it was like talking to a brick wall. "Earlier I asked you if you enjoyed basketball; I realise now that those words had such an effect on you because you already know the answer, you just refuse to admit it to yourself!"

Finally, after receiving less than a twitch in reply, I got so worked up that my mouth began spewing words that definitely should not have been said, but were guaranteed to produce a reaction. "I'm right about you, and I think if you were honest with yourself, you'd agree. You loved basketball, and you respect Kuroko for his ideals and his determination to prove you wrong. You probably feel a semblance of pride, too; after all, it all started with you. Maybe you even felt relieved when you lost, not having to force yourself to uphold a visage that you never really believed in the first place!"

Suddenly his hand flipped around and shackled my wrist, and I found myself leaning all the way over the desk as he yanked me down, my face so close to his I could feel his light breath on my face. Eyes wide, I attempted to yank my hand back, but only managed to score my skin on the scissors pressed against my arm in his tight grip.

Slowly, his head lifted, and when his mismatched eyes met mine I almost gasped. _No…_

Face completely neutral, his voice was surprisingly refined when he spoke. "Setsuna… do you ever shut up?"

I stared at him, wide-eyed. "W-What's your –"

A pale finger lifted and pressed against my lips, the coolness of his skin shocking me. "No more of that." And then he began meticulously gathering up the now completely shredded pieces of document.

Shocked, unable to process his reaction, my eyes dropped to the papers. Despite my blurry vision, one word on a single portion of paper stood out before it was whisked into Akashi's hands.

 _Oshiro Eisuke._

My heart sunk under the weight of dread that permeated my throat. "Why does that document have Eisuke's name on it?" Red and orange-gold eyes met mine for a split second, conveying absolutely nothing, before he turned and casually strolled over to the bin. "Akashi, what is that?"

He dumped the contents. "It's Oshiro-san's application for the team."

He had cut it into pieces. _Oh God… This was my fault._

I didn't know why, or how, but I knew that somehow I was responsible for this. Closing my eyes for a moment, I took a deep, calming breath and then opened them again. "Don't do this to Eisuke. This has nothing to do with him."

"On the contrary," he began softly as he made his way back to the desk, "This is mostly his fault."

I shook my head. "It's not –"

"Stop trying to incorporate yourself into a situation in which you do not belong." His scrutinizing eyes watched me with a coldness I hadn't seen since that first day in the library, and after everything, it hurt more than I cared to admit seeing that look in his eyes again. "I do not tolerate violence on my team, and I certainly won't be held responsible for the actions of a player who recklessly picks fights with anyone who gets under his skin, instead of prioritising his position as a first-string."

I snagged a hold of his wrist as he went to turn away, eyes burning in earnest to make him reconsider. "But that _was_ my fault! He was defending me! You don't understand – if he hadn't intervened –" I took a deep breath, trying to get my head together under the crushing weight of guilt I was experiencing. "Akashi. Please. This anger you have – is between you and me, or at least, is because of me. He doesn't deserve this." I tamped down on the anger that still boiled inside me and made my tone pleading.

He carefully removed my hold on his wrist, but instead of backing away, he braced one arm in the desk and leaned forward. Eyes cold and searching, he asked, "Do you even know for what reason you're nobly shouldering the blame for Eisuke?"

I shook my head. "It doesn't matter."

He studied me for a moment in silence. "You're right about that," he said softly, and then leaned down to pick up his bag.

"So that's it?" I asked incredulously. Jaw clenched in fury, I balled my hands into fists and fought not to slam them into the table. "After everything, you're just going to walk away? What about everything I said? You're just going to pretend I wasn't completely right?" I glared at him. "Misunderstood, maybe, but I never took you for a coward."

Akashi didn't even react to my needling; instead, he turned his back and headed to the door. Furious – desperate – I called after him. "Akashi!"

He stopped, and then one red eye met mine over his right shoulder. "Setsuna, in all the obsessive pondering you've been doing regarding myself, it seems you have neglected to evaluate yourself with the same critical eye. If I'm a coward, then you're a hypocrite."

"What are you talking about?" I fumed.

"You pretend that you're different from everybody else, above them, but in truth you're just as pitifully dependent. Despite the sovereign front you put up, you still rely on everybody else to clean up your mess for you." He sighed once.

"I made a deal with you just to get you to train me," I pointed out angrily. "It's not like I was looking for a handout. I don't accept charity from others, and unlike you, I keep my promises when I make them. What part of that screams 'hypocrite' to you?"

Slowly he faced me, expression neutral. "Perhaps it was the part where you still chase after me like an eager puppy despite the many indications that I want nothing to do with you. As I said before, you are no different from any other girl in this school."

His head cocked in a sinister manner. "Setsuna… Do you think I have feelings for you?"

I was shocked by the question – at first because he'd actually said it, and then secondly because I realised I didn't have a definite answer.

"… I don't know. But I don't think you do, either."

Something flickered in the depths of his eyes, but then he blinked and it was gone. "I don't. From now on, you are not to approach me. I no longer wish to be affiliated with you. Goodbye, Setsuna." With that, he turned and walked away.

Unbidden, I felt my eyes burn as they returned to the desk in front of me, not wanting to see him make his exit. With every word, a small, painful pang had flittered in my chest, until it felt as though someone had decided to reach in and repetitively poke at my heart. Even though I had been prepared for a negative reaction, I was surprised at how much this rejection hurt. It wasn't like I'd exactly poured my heart out to him, but I hadn't realised how much I'd unconsciously invested in him until now – until it was crashing down around me at the prospect of being abandoned.

" _It's not like it's the first time,"_ a small, treacherous voice whispered.

A droplet of moisture dotted the back of my hand on the desk.

 _Oh no, not tears – please stop crying! Why is this happening? God, make it stop…_ But it was futile. From the deep hollowness in my chest, it seemed as though a dam had been opened, and a flood was slowly drenching my senses in a strange white buzzing. My limbs began to shake, and with a dawning sense of horror, I realised that I was about to have a breakdown.

I frantically shook my head and attempted to gather my wits. I refused to be so weak as to let Akashi's words have such an effect on me, knowing I was stronger than all of this. The only flaw in my logic was the reality that aside from that night in the park, I hadn't allowed my emotions to get the better of me for five years.

And now, every suppressed semblance of feeling I possessed was paying me back tenfold.

My arm unsteadily reached for the closest chair, since it seemed that my legs weren't going to last much longer, but my twitching limb pushed it away instead and I fell with a pained 'oof!' on my backside.

"Dammit!" I kicked the table in front of me in frustration – at Akashi – at myself. Then I was picturing Eisuke's face when he found out he was no longer going to achieve his dream of being on the team. I recalled his excitement at the prospect of being part of the greatest nation-wide basketball team, his determination to be the best, and my gut clenched.

 _I'm sorry Eisuke._

Another face entered my mind; this one had a pair of deep green eyes the same as my own, framed by a generous set of lashes and pale features. A face so beautiful it made my chest hurt. _Her_ face… And then another…

I drew my knees up and buried my face in them, shoulders shaking. _I'm sorry Oka-chan, Oto-chan. You didn't deserve to die the way you did… because of me._ And now I was helpless to even defend the honour of the Koizumi name.

My back hunched and I bit my lip, praying for this terrible storm of emotion to pass. God, why was I thinking of this now?

 _Thud!_

I whipped my head around at the sound, quickly rubbing the tears from my eyes. Akashi was standing in the doorway, back to me, fist against the wall. From the way his muscles were tensed, he had obviously just launched his fist into the plaster.

I frowned up at him and cleared my throat. "You're s-still here?"

Instead of answering, he punched the wall again – hard – and then swung around, stalking toward me. I began to backpedal like crazy at the intent look in his eyes. Maybe he was going to kill me after all.

Quicker than I could follow, he was kneeling before me with a strange expression on his face. He reached up a hand and I flinched, but he only rested it lightly against my cheek. I shivered from the coolness of his touch.

"Are you afraid of me?" he murmured, his voice clear yet soft as silk. I quivered a little from the sound, but slowly nodded. "So am I. With you… I'm not sure what cruelties I am capable of."

– _desperation in his eyes as they met mine, pleading with me for something. Something essential I was meant to know –_

I swallowed, trying to drown out the image of those haunting red eyes, and voiced the one question I wanted to know most of all. "Why?"

He shook his head. "You perplex me. One moment I resent you, and the next… It's foreign and infuriating. I _hate_ it, this thing you've done to me." I blinked. Opened my mouth. A pale thumb touched my lips again. "No. I meant what I said before – no more talking." I narrowed my eyes at him, but the warning in his eyes kept my mouth shut.

When he spoke again, his tone was firm and brooked no argument. "You know nothing about me, Koizumi Setsuna. Whatever you think you know is inconsequential. You would dare to accuse me of being a liar after I specifically instructed you not to? Why do you push me so far?" The cool hand on my face reached up to stroke a lock of my unkempt red hair, and his eyes followed the movement as though transfixed.

"You're a stubborn and persistent thorn in my side that won't go away no matter what I try. It makes me positively… violent." He sighed once and dropped his hand. "Perhaps it's just your existence as a whole. People like you naturally irk me."

I flinched at his harsh words, unsure if they were intentional or not. "People like… me?" When he just stared at me with neutral, half-mast eyes, I bit my lip.

"That's right. People who recklessly throw themselves into situations, knowing they lack the power to ensure the outcome. Such as your bet with Suzuki." His mismatched eyes looked as though a fire had lit within them as he narrowed them slightly. "And your little stunt this afternoon involving Oshiro Eisuke."

I coughed a little. "I would like to point out that Eisuke proposed the bet in the first place, I didn't have a choice but to go with it."

Akashi didn't react to the news, and after a moment, slowly stood. "I don't care." He glanced down at me still sitting on the floor, taking in my swollen face and messy uniform. Self-consciously I pressed a hand to my flaming face and he sighed. "Get up. It's unfeminine to sprawl on the floor like that." He presented his hand.

For a moment I was so shocked at his offered hand that I almost missed his words. Scowling up at him, I grumbled, "I'm really sick of you saying that," and reluctantly placed my hand in his.

When he yanked me up it pulled at the cut on my arm, and I hissed in pain before biting my lip to suppress the sound. But his perceptive eyes caught my flinch, and he held my arm out for inspection, noting the inch-long slash from his scissors. He seemed to struggle with himself as he gazed down at it, and I shifted awkwardly, tugging on my arm.

Without releasing my wrist he said, "Come with me." I barely had time to snatch my bag before he began tugging me out of the classroom and in the direction of the nurse's office.


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note:**

Hi everyone, sorry for the late update. It took me longer that I thought to write this chapter; surprisingly, it was slightly more of a challenge than the others. However, I enjoyed myself immensely whilst writing this, and I hope in turn you will enjoy reading it.

As always, if you enjoyed the chapter or thought it could use some improvements, please say so by leaving a review. Happy reading!

* * *

 **Chapter Sixteen:**

Five minutes ago I had been in the middle of a breakdown after being verbally chewed-out by Akashi Seijuro; now, I was sitting on a small stool, biting my lip self-consciously and having my arm treated by said prodigy amidst an awkward cloud of silence. Had someone attempted to inform me of my current position five minutes ago, I would have glared at them for wasting my time.

Instead, I concentrated on the clock on the wall across from me and tried to think of a conversation that wouldn't end as the last one had – horribly.

"So… do you come here often?" I cocked a brow suggestively. Droll red and orange-gold eyes met mine, and I fought a grin at his obvious disapproval. "Guess not."

"I don't make it my business to be incompetent enough to get injured," he replied in a neutral tone.

I decided to let that one slide. "Oh, I didn't mean you. Do all the girls you have a fall-out with end up in the hospital?" I clicked my tongue. "I wonder how your reputation is still standing, rich kid or not."

Again, he showed no response to my needling. Having wiped around the wound, he produced a bottle of antiseptic, which immediately had me squirming uncomfortably. "You know, I can do this myself."

He didn't reply as he doused a cotton wipe with the liquid and tugged on my arm. I resisted, frowning up at him. "Seriously, Akashi, you don't have to –"

I stopped mid-sentence when he _tsk_ ed. "Stop being a child, this has to be done." A strong tug on my wrist caused my arm to extend and quicker than I could process, he pressed the antiseptic to my skin. A hiss escaped me involuntarily, and I clenched my teeth against the sharp pain. Almost immediately it was over; as he removed the wipe he said in a deadpan tone, "There, see? It's done."

"Yeah, but it still stings," I grumbled.

Eyes on my wound, he murmured quietly, "Ah, but isn't that the truth?" He swiped his thumb over the inside of my wrist in a small caress, and then moved away.

My eyes widened at the unexpected gesture; tracing the spot, something occurred to me as I moved to help him pack up the equipment. "Um, Akashi, are we even allowed to be in here?"

"Of course not."

"So… if we get caught, we'll get detention?" I blinked, surprised. "You're okay with that?"

"At least you won't be stuck in there by yourself this time." Involuntarily, a small giggle escaped me. Red and orange-gold eyes gazed assessing down at me, only making me chuckle even more. Almost imperceptibly, his lips twitched. "It's not a big deal so long as you don't get caught. Just don't make any noise and we'll be fine."

I huffed once. "If anyone's going to get us busted, it won't be me. I'm quite established in the art of creeping." _From years of sneaking behind Oba-san's back to avoid her._

He shrugged once and put away the wipes and antiseptic while I threw away the bloody wipes, and then crossed my arms expectantly when he faced me. "So, are we going to talk about earlier?"

His eyes remained aloof as he grabbed a Band-Aid from the shelf. "I thought I said not to talk about that."

"Well, I want to talk about it."

"I don't care. I meant what I said; I don't want you to approach me anymore." My stomach hollowed at his words, but as if to contradict them, he moved closer to me and held his hand out expectantly.

I refused to be cowed, and I glared at him as I placed my wrist in his grasp. "Why, so you can go away and pretend that everything I said wasn't the truth? I meant what I said, too – you're lying to yourself, _Akashi_." The words ended on a hiss as he placed the Band-Aid none-too-gently against my wound.

"You don't know what you're talking about." His words ended with an ominous rumble.

"Stop stalling and just admit it!" I demanded heatedly, but he moved away again. "You loved basketball, not for the fact that you always won, but because you genuinely enjoyed it. You don't have to pretend anymore; Kuroko freed you the moment he beat you!"

All of a sudden he was there, appearing so close to my face I jerked back in surprise. His hand flashed forward and grasped my back to keep me from falling, and as I stared up at him, his mismatched eyes glared down at me with such censure I shivered.

"Tetsuya did no such thing. Seirin beat Rakuzan at the Winter Cup, and that is all. I don't want to hear any more about it." There was a brute finality in his tone that I hadn't heard in a while; not since he'd started neglecting my training. Strangely, I realised I'd missed the sound.

"And what about me?"

His eyes ran over me speculatively. "What about you?"

"What about your promise to me?" I stepped away from him and crossed my arms. "You said you would help me beat Chinami. I took you at your word, and you don't get to go back on it just like that."

"I already gave you the alternative," he said dismissively, leaning around me to grip his bag.

"The alternative where you cheat our deal?"

He sighed once. "We've been over this; until you tell me exactly what Suzuki knows, I won't train you."

As he turned to leave, I stepped around him and blocked his way. His eyes narrowed dangerously, a definite indication of his fast-burning patience, but I pressed onward. "See? That's what I'm talking about. Why do you even care? And if you really wanted to know, why wait for me to tell you?" I leaned forward. "It's because you want me to succeed –"

"You're still rambling on about that?"

"Yes, I am!" I said passionately. "Because it's the truth!"

His brow cocked, and I braced myself for the worst when a repetitive clicking noise sounded from outside the room. I cocked my head, trying to make out the peculiar sound when I felt my hand snagged in a firm grip. Akashi yanked me behind him and pushed me around the corner, peeking back at the door just as a young office lady walked in.

Immediately my heart sped up. _Oh crap, if she catches us…_

Akashi turned and mouthed something to me that I couldn't understand. I stared at him blankly, and he began pushing me toward the store cupboard. Two seconds later we were stuffed inside the already-cramped space with Akashi at my back and my face pressed uncomfortably to the closed doors.

Through the small crack I could make out a section of the room; behind me, I felt him lean forward to peek through. Unfortunately, given the close quarters, what felt like eighty per cent of his body was pressed to my back, and against my will, a small flutter began in my chest. I frowned and mentally kicked myself. _Geez, Setsuna, get a grip – you're about to receive detention again! Oba-san will find out this time, for sure._ I shuddered at the thought.

Akashi shifted again, and his arm connected with my head as he raised it. Grumbling, I nudged him in the ribs with my elbow, and immediately regretted it when it pulled on the cut. A small hiss escaped me, but in the quiet of the room it was enough to halt the clicking of the woman's heels. His hand came down and sealed itself over my mouth.

I decided right then that had the situation not been so dire, that little manoeuvre would have certainly earned him a hard smack.

As it was, I barely controlled the impulse to rip his hand away – taking a breath through my nose, I tapped on his arm to let him know he could release me, but he didn't budge. I glanced up at him, but he was gazing intently at the woman who was now not three metres away from our hiding place.

My eyes widened. Oh man, we were so busted…

Akashi seemed to realise this too, because he tightened his hand around my mouth in warning and let out a small breath. The light exhalation tickled the back of my neck, sending a small shiver through me. It was a strange sensation, but enough to elicit a tingling that spread from my neck to the tips of my toes. It both entranced and frustrated me.

 _Dammit Akashi, stop_ doing _that!_

The woman looked around for a few more minutes, and then quickly left the room. I let out a breath through my nose, for Akashi still hadn't released me. He waited a few more moments before doing so, slowly opening the doors to make sure the coast was clear.

I rubbed the back of my neck as he checked to make sure she was gone. "What was that about?"

He glanced back at me. "I thought you didn't want to get any more detentions."

"Of course I don't. It's just, I thought you would've been able to, I don't know, sweet-talk her into thinking you were allowed to be here."

His casual shrug belied his next words. "My father hired her."

I blinked. "Hired her? For what?"

"Administration work," he replied. "But mainly so he could monitor me more effectively."

I connected the dots fairly easily. "And you didn't want him knowing you were hanging out with a nobody like me?" No response. Whatever. "Is there a reason she is keeping an eye on you?"

"Your aunt wasn't the only one who got suspicious after our training." A casual shrug accompanied his words.

"But… why would he get suspicious? Were you not keeping up with your homework?"

"No, it's none of your business."

Seconds ticked by in silence and, suddenly awkward, I tucked a stray red hair behind my ear. I was puzzled by his words, but there were more pressing matters to resolve.

Taking a deep breath, I prepared to swallow my pride. "Akashi, I need you to come back and help me train. I can't hope to learn anything new by doing it myself." Seeing his tense expression, I blurted, "I promise that after all of this is over, you won't have to hear from me again if that's what you want. When I beat Chinami, I'll tell you what you want to know and that'll be that."

For some reason, it hurt more than I thought it would to say those words, but I knew I was right; without Akashi's help, I didn't stand a chance.

He was staring at me with a remote expression. "When we beat her?"

I smirked. "Well, Akashi Seijuro never loses, after all." _Unless it's to Kuroko Tetsuya._

For a moment there was no reaction, and then the smallest of smiles touched his lips. "I see you finally learned something. Took you long enough."

"Yeah, well, I had a slow teacher," I grumbled.

He abruptly turned away and walked to the door, startling me. "W-Wait! I'm sorry! Don't leave –"

"Be in the gym after school – on time. If you leave me waiting again, _ever_ , you're on your own."

* * *

I practically danced through my house to the kitchen that afternoon. Of all the ways I had pictured this day to turn out, I certainly hadn't picked this for a conclusion. My uncle immediately noticed my good mood when I walked into the room, frowning at me in puzzlement.

"Have a good day at school, Setsuna-chan?"

I shrugged as I opened the fridge. "It was alright." I turned and grinned at him with a yoghurt in my hand.

He chuckled at my flushed face. "If I didn't know you better, I'd say you met a boy or something."

I flushed. _Oh crap…_ To disguise my alarm, I adopted an offended tone. "What do you mean 'if you didn't know better'? Are you saying it's impossible for me to get a guy?"

"More like it's impossible for them to have you," he groused. "And that's the way it'll stay."

My eyebrow rose. "You know that someday you're going to have to accept a boy I bring home, regardless of whether you approve or not."

"Setsuna-chan, I'm sure that if you approved, I wouldn't need to worry. You're a stubborn, headstrong girl, so you wouldn't accept anything less than the best."

"Um… Thank you?" Was I supposed to take that as a compliment? When he just grinned, I shook my head and made my way to the staircase.

"Hey, Setsuna-chan, how are things going with that boy? You still beating him at Shogi?"

I smiled back at him. "Yes. Things are going really well, Oji-chan."

He huffed proudly. "Of course they are. And what about your friend, what was his name… Asuki?"

The smile faded from my face. "Eisuke…"

"That one," he nodded.

My eyes shifted away from his as I said, "Um, everything's fine. We still talk and stuff…" _More like argue._

"Really? That's good. I'm glad to hear you're making friends; I was worried when you entered high school you would stick to yourself all the time."

"Well, no need to worry. I'm quite the popular one," I muttered, bitterly recalling the spreading rumours about me.

He nodded. "I'm glad… Listen, Setsuna-chan." The sudden change in his tone made me stiffen, and I braced myself for the worst. "I received a call last night, and… I have to go back to work for a while. I won't be back before your final exams."

I frowned. "When do you leave?"

"Two days."

 _So soon…_ "I thought you had a month with us?"

He shrugged helplessly. "That was the time I was originally given, but they're willing to pay me extra if I go back early, and at this rate, we could really use the money."

I considered him for a moment, and then sighed. "If you say so, Oji-chan."

"But while I'm gone… I want you to promise me something, Setsuna-chan." His voice had taken on a slightly hard edge.

Suddenly wary, I mumbled, "What is it?"

"That you won't lose to that Akashi boy, no matter what."

I blinked in surprise for a moment; that was the last thing I expected him to say. But then I grinned back at him. "Don't worry, Oji-chan. I definitely won't lose."

* * *

In mathematics class the next morning, I barely paid attention to the new content we were being introduced to – the law of integration – but spent the majority of the lesson staring at the corner of the board, deep in thought. Akashi was finally going to come back and train me, after three days of stony silence; at last, there was hope. I almost couldn't believe it was real.

Lunchtime came around, and I walked slowly towards the library, mentally preparing myself for another quench of disappointment. Despite everything that had happened between us, I… _missed_ Eisuke. I missed his exuberant, slightly perverted, carefree nature that always succeeded in brightening my day. The way he would constantly needle me until I snapped at him, to which he would respond with, ' _Ah, you're so mean, Setsuna-chan!_ ' I wanted to walk in to the library and see him sitting there with a Shogi board in front of him and a challenging smirk on his face.

Most of all, I wanted –

My thoughts ground to a halt when I drew closer to the entrance. Eisuke was lounging against the wall with his arms crossed, expression set in an unfamiliar mask of disgruntlement. As I stared, I saw the girls passing him gave him a wide berth and noticeably quickened their pace, while guys threw pensive glances his way. Eisuke himself didn't seem to notice their looks, or at least didn't care; his eyes were scanning the faces that passed him with a swiftness that told me he was looking for one person in particular.

 _Is he waiting for me?_

Tentatively I moved forward, and his deep blue eyes latched onto mine. A grin lit his face, and just like that, every ounce of trepidation inside me melted away. My lips stretched into an answering smile as I made my way over to him; suddenly, everything he'd said – everything _I'd_ said – seemed inconsequential. He was finally here, and nothing else mattered.

Nevertheless, I couldn't allow him to see that his absence had affected me.

My smile morphing into a sly grin, I asked, "So you finally decided to show up?"

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as I crossed my arms. "I had some stuff that I had to sort out." He glanced around, seeming to notice the looks he was receiving, and inclined his head toward the stairs. "Can we go somewhere to talk?"

I frowned. "Is the library not good enough?"

"No, it's just…" He motioned meaningfully at the people shooting us weird glances. "A little crowded."

After a moment of confused deliberation I agreed, and he lead me outside. We walked for a good five minutes before he finally chose a shaded spot underneath a tree, and sat down with a great exhalation. I did the same, only a little less dramatically. As he leaned back against it, I tried to keep my smile to myself; I was glad to see he was back to his semi-normal self.

"So, is there any particular reason you wanted to sit outside today?" My voice was carefully neutral.

He grinned up at the sky. "It's too nice of a day to waste inside. Besides, I didn't really feel like getting my ass handed to me today."

"Well, I've been dying to give you the thrashing you deserve. No use putting it off." My answering smirk was particularly nasty.

One blue eye glanced down at me, taking in my expression, and he laughed. "Yeah, I guess. You'll have to save that bloodlust for tomorrow."

We both grew silent, relaxing against the tree and savouring the warm breeze that breezed leisurely through the leaves of the tree above. The distant shouts of students enjoying their lunchtime outside could be heard, but weren't enough to disturb the tranquil atmosphere around us. I sighed contentedly, closing my eyes. It really was a nice day…

"Hey, Setsuna-chan."

"Hmm?" I responded without opening my eyes.

"About the other day… I'm sorry _._ I didn't mean to scare you when I was confronting that wimp. I wasn't really gonna fight him…"

I opened an eye and cocked a brow at him. "That last punch you threw didn't count?"

He shifted and frowned. "Uh, well… He was asking for it."

I let out a tired breath. "Oshiro-san, this is exactly what I was talking about. I don't care if he deserved it or not, fighting a guy like him would have gotten you suspended, at least. And for what? Me?" I shook my head. "It's not worth it."

When I glanced up at him, he had lost his carefree smile, and was instead gazing up at the sky with a deep scowl. Feeling troubled, I mentally cursed; I was supposed to be making him feel better, not angrier. "Look, I'm sorry I got you into this –"

"Why do you do that?" he abruptly asked, startling me.

"…Do what?"

"Undermine yourself for the sake of other people."

I frowned at him. "I have no idea what you mean."

He turned his head to gaze down at me, eyes blazing with some hidden emotion I couldn't identify. "You wouldn't, not when you don't even notice it. The way you unconsciously put yourself down." On his out-stretched leg, one of his fists clenched. "It pisses me off."

Silence followed his outburst, but my shock was quickly replaced by irritation. What in the world was he going on about? I huffed and crossed my arms, glaring up at him. "Well, I'm so sorry I'm such an annoyance to you. Would you like me to leave?"

"And that," he growled, deep blue eyes narrowing on mine. "Whenever the conversation gets even remotely personal, you throw up a wall, like I've stepped on a trigger or something. You never tell me anything about yourself. We've been friends for two months, and you're still almost as much of a mystery as the day I met you."

I didn't move as I stared him down. "I didn't realise you required personal information on a person to be friends with them. If that's a problem for you, then you don't have to keep pretending to be my friend."

His scowl remained firmly in place, and I was slightly surprised by how far he was pursuing this. He leaned forward as I stopped talking, eyes suddenly more intent than before. "I _am_ your friend, Setsuna-chan; that's why I think I deserve to know some things about you."

"Why is it so important to you?"

He shrugged. "It just is. I see how you struggle through every day, and it makes me wonder _why_ ; why you do this to yourself – alone – when there should be people there for you, to help you." I shifted uncomfortably, wanting to leave, but he shook his head and placed his hand on my arm. "No, wait. Just… let me say this, okay?"

For a moment the urge to bat his hand away and escape almost overtook me, but I drew in a steady breath and held his eyes, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. "What makes you think I'm alone?"

His deep blue eyes held mine, measuring my reaction. "Because the only time I ever see your face light up is when you walk into the library and see me sitting there. That permanent frown on your face loosens up a little; even when you talk about home you don't do that. And what little you do tell me…" He glanced away, breaking the stare, and picked at a piece of grass next to him. "You do all the chores at home and never lose you temper at your aunt, despite how she treats you. You challenge the top female athlete in the school to keep her from spilling your secret, so that others won't think badly of you – although I can't understand why they would. You go to the captain of the basketball team and ask him to train you so you can win. All this without ever asking for a single hand-out…"

When he trailed off, I raised my eyebrow at him. "Yeah? So?"

He gazed down at me incredulously. "You really don't see it, do you? Setsuna… you're the bravest, most selfless person I've ever met."

My eyes widened in surprise. First he was mad at me, and now he was complimenting me? I didn't understand. "Huh? What are you talking about? I haven't done anything."

His eyes measured me for a few moments in silence, taking in my shocked expression, and then chuckled softly before staring up at the clouds again. "Don't worry about it. Doesn't matter, anyway."

"Then why did you bring it up so suddenly?" I demanded, frowning at him. "Just spit it out." When he just shook his head without looking at me, I became frustrated. "I don't know anything about you, either, you know. It's not just me."

He shrugged. "You never ask."

That shut me up. I opened my mouth to retort and closed it again. It was true, but I'd never seen any reason to ask him about his personal life; doing so would only prompt questions into my own, which I had no desire to go into. _Still,_ I thought as I gazed up at him, _maybe he has a point…_

I sighed and slumped back against the tree. "Alright, fine, I'll bite. But don't get mad if I ask something personal." When there was no response, I cleared my throat and asked, "Do you have a pet?"

He snorted once and then laughed, shaking his head sadly. "That's what you call a personal question? That's pitiful, Setsuna-chan."

I crossed my arms petulantly and glared. "Take it or leave it."

"Fine, fine…" He shot me an amused glance as he said, "I don't have any dogs or cats, but I do have a little sister. Does that count?"

"You do?" I asked, surprised.

He nodded. "She turns seven next week."

"Well, tell her I said happy birthday."

"I will. Now, your turn; what's your favourite colour?"

The stare I gave him was droll. "And you thought my attempt was bad."

"Hey," he said defensively, "Someone's favourite colour can tell a lot about that person."

I shrugged, and then deliberated for a moment. I had never really had a personal favourite colour, but if I had to pick one… "Red."

Silence met my answer, and when I glanced up at him questioningly, Eisuke was staring at me with a strange expression. "Red?"

"Yes. Is there something wrong with red?"

Again there was silence, before he blinked and his eyes cleared. "Hmmm…" He resumed his position of staring up at the clouds, and then his lids slowly closed. "I would've picked you for a blue."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen:**

A bubbling sense of excitement suffused me as I made my way to the gym. For the first time in days, I would finally get to train with Akashi again, although I knew that as soon as he began shooting orders at me like a straight-faced drill sergeant the excitement would dissipate quicker than it came.

Still, I conceded that, from the lack of progress I'd made alone, perhaps I needed his harshly critical comments. If there was one thing I'd learned while he was away, it was that I couldn't do this on my own – unfortunately, I needed the instruction of the former captain of the Generation of Miracles.

 _Unfortunately? Yeah right,_ my inner voice scoffed. _You wouldn't even know how to dribble properly if it wasn't for him._

After our discussion yesterday, I felt relieved about how the whole situation had turned out. Akashi had conceded to coming back to train me, and without the mention of his recently raised expectations hanging over my head.

Unbidden, an image of Akashi's furious face floated into my mind. It was strange; he was primarily reserved and aloof – calculating even. What could have possibly been the cause of his anger?

 _It doesn't matter_ , I decided. _All I have to do is ensure Eisuke still has a spot on the basketball team. Akashi's mood swings have nothing to do with me._

I huffed as I turned the corner into the gym, prepared to confront Akashi about the issue, but paused when I saw him. There was a cool look of determination in his eyes as they latched onto mine when I entered.

"Hey. Nice to see you back." I couldn't help the small amount of censure in my tone.

He merely stared at me coolly, declining to reply. I skirted around him, moving towards the sports equipment room, and his mismatched eyes followed the movement with all the precision of a hawk. "So what are we going to focus on today? It's been a while, and we didn't get to work my defence much before…"

My uneasiness grew along with the silence. Sure, he was usually cold and distant, but he'd usually have shown some response by now; had I done something wrong? My eyes flew to the clock, but when I saw I was on time, confusion flooded me.

 _What's his problem?_

I shook myself. Whatever it was, I wasn't interested; I needed to train and ask him to reconsider Eisuke for the team, and that was all. The thought had me striding confidently for the supply room when all of a sudden he spoke, his dispassionate voice belying his next words.

"Why are you here?"

I stopped. Glanced over my shoulder. "Huh?"

"Why are you trying to learn basketball?" His eyes held mine steadily, measuring my response.

Shaking my head, I gestured impatiently. "We've been over this, Akashi. It's so I can beat Chinami."

"Really."

I frowned at his tone. "What's this about?"

A few beats of silence passed, then –

"I know about your parents."

For the second time in two days, my body completely froze in shock. My eyes fell to the floor. For some reason I couldn't look at him. That was… the _last_ thing I'd expected to hear, and by far the last thing I was prepared to deal with.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

I shook my head. "No."

"No, what?" His voice was as reserved as ever, which made me even more reluctant to face him. My mind was in turmoil, rolling over itself as I frantically debated how best to approach the situation.

"Y-You don't know what you're talking about," I said. My voice came out stronger than expected.

The sound of soft footsteps echoed until he was beside me, so that I could see him out of the corner of my eye. "Your parents were murdered by two men in a park on March the fourteenth. You were twelve."

Despite my forced unaffected demeanour, my limbs were still stiffly locked in place. "Did your homework, huh?"

He shrugged. "I got tired of waiting and decided to take matters into my own hands."

I scoffed once. "You're such a control freak."

"My will is absolute," he said simply. "If it's any consolation, I learned nothing of significance from the information."

Finally I met his eyes, but mine were narrowed in a glower. "What are you talking about?"

He shrugged once. "Finding out the raw facts didn't solve anything. I still don't know why you're so determined to keep this a secret. No shame would befall you or your family." Although his expression didn't change, his eyes suddenly became piercing, boring into mine as he stated, "Tell me why."

"Why? Why what?"

"Don't play dumb."

I shrugged and forcefully wrenched myself from his gaze. "I don't know what you want from me."

His features hardened, throwing his eyes into shadow as he said slowly, "Tell me why you're going to face up against the most athletic girl in the school for a secret you want to keep so badly that you are willing to bet it on a sport in which you have no knowledge of."

I blinked in shock at his uncharacteristically long outburst, but before I could reply, he said softly, "I know there's something missing, something I don't know." Suddenly his eyes narrowed, as though he'd just figured something out. "Something you had no intention of telling me when it came time for you to fulfil your end of the bargain."

For a brief moment panic set in, but I mentally pulled myself together and took a deep breath. "I'm impressed, Akashi-san. I've never heard you talk so much. Is this a record?"

"Answer the question."

"I have no reason to give a response to something so personal," I stated firmly, fixing him with a hard stare. "It's none of your business. You wanted to know the information Chinami had over me – those were the details of our bargain."

"You can't escape me," he said softly, so that I almost mistook the warning behind the words. "I vowed that I wouldn't train you until you told me what I wanted to know. I will hold to that promise."

'I couldn't escape him'? Just what in the world did he mean by _that_?

As I continued to gaze into his calculating gaze, I realised with a sinking feeling that we were in exactly the same position as we'd been in the last time we stood on this court. Nothing had changed, and reflecting back on yesterday's discussion, I recalled that he hadn't taken back his new terms; I'd simply assumed he would forget about them.

 _You're such a fool, Setsuna._

"What about your other promise?" I demanded as my voice began to rise in anger. "The one where you would make me win against Chinami? Did you just write that one off your list?"

"No. Since you showed no signs of mental or physical improvement, I realised that you would be unable to hold up your end of the deal, and so I devised countermeasures. This way we both get what we want."

"You're wrong," I exclaimed heatedly. " _You'll_ get what _you_ want, and then leave me hanging. I can't trust you! You're only in this for yourself, and I have no reason to trust that you'll keep your promise."

Although his expression remained the same, his next words belied his surmounting anger. "You insist on insulting me. I told you before; I don't take such disrespect from anyone, least of all you."

I clenched my fists. Opened them. Clenched them again. "Why do you want to know this? What does it matter the motivation behind the cause? You already know what I'm trying to keep secret."

"I'm not so sure about that," he murmured, and the suddenly gentle expression on his face halted my train of thought.

"What do you mean?" I said, equally as quiet.

He blinked those hypnotic, mismatched eyes, seemingly considering something. When he spoke, it took everything I had not to cover my ears like a child to block out his mesmerising voice. "Five years ago, when the bodies of Koizumi Yamato and Koizumi Misaki were discovered, a witness reported having stumbled across the couple's bodies whilst running, and went on to explain the details of the discovery to the police. There was no mention of a third person being present at the scene…"

"Where are you going with this, Akashi?" I growled.

"It struck me as odd that two young parents would step out on a nightly stroll whilst leaving their child unattended," he went on as though not noting my trembling limbs. It had now spread to my knees. "Were you sleeping over at a friend's house?"

"No."

"Was someone staying at your house with you?"

"No." I kept my gaze fixedly on his feet, noticing how they shifted slightly, as though he was becoming impatient.

"Did you attend an after-school club?"

"No."

Silence ensued, and while I waited for his next question, I busied myself with trying to cease the shaking in my limbs. _Dammit Setsuna, pull yourself together._

"I don't understand."

 _That_ stopped it. Having never heard such a sentence emerge from the famous prodigy, I glanced up at him in surprise, taking in the slight downward tilt to his mouth and the slight shadow to his brow. Was I looking at… a _confused_ Akashi?

Normally this would have me grinning in triumphant glee, but as it was, all I felt was annoyance at his relentless probing. "Don't understand what?"

"Why did they leave you alone?" His intense, piercing eyes made me cringe the way they stared down into my green ones, and not for the first time, the urge to escape almost overcame me. As it was, I felt my own feet turning a little more toward the exit.

As though he'd noticed the slight movement, Akashi copied me, so that he'd effectively blocked the exit from my view.

"Step off, Akashi."

"Not until you answer my questions. I've waited long enough to hear them, I believe."

Scowling, I took a step back and pointed an accusing finger at his chest. "Not as long as you were supposed to wait! We shouldn't even be having this conversation! You really think I'm just going to be okay with you changing the terms of the deal without getting something in return?"

His head cocked slightly, as though he'd heard something curious. "You're already getting my help. What else could you possibly want?"

From the beginning of our argument until now I'd slowly begun to realise two things; one, there was no way Akashi was coming back to train me unless I told him the information he wanted to know, and two, there was no way I could only give him part of this story. He was relentless and tenacious, and definitely not one to settle for anything less than everything.

But just the thought of having to say the words aloud…

 _It's either him or everyone else known to you._

"I wasn't alone."

I spoke the words so quietly that he had to lean even closer to catch them. "I can't hear you, Setsuna. Speak –"

I took a step back and finally met his eyes, my own green ones filled with a mixture of bitter resignation and defiance. _Damn you for making me do this, Akashi._ "They didn't leave me alone."

The slight crease in his brow betrayed his growing impatience. "What were you doing?"

I let out a breath and ran a shaking hand through my hair, dishevelling it thoroughly. Though I was set in my decision, it didn't make the words hurt any less on the way out. "The reason my parents left our home that night… The person responsible for –" My throat seized unexpectedly, and I had to clear it before continuing. "For their deaths, is me. I'm to blame." I shut my eyes – opened them again. "Chinami knows this. She's going to tell everyone when she wins that I was the one who really killed them."

My eyes turned pleading as they met his unflinching ones, and distantly I felt something squeeze my chest from the inside. "Don't you see, Akashi? No one can know, otherwise anyone affiliated with me will lose whatever good value they've managed to put behind their name. As well as me. If this gets out, it'll be the end of my aunt and uncle. _Oji_ -chan will lose his job, and will struggle to find another one afterwards because of this incident. We barely managed to keep it from the newspaper headlines when it first happened. _Oba_ -san will hate me, and Eisuke... At the very least, he won't ever look at me the same. Don't ask this of me."

At some point, I had half-expected Akashi to give up on his relentless pursuit of knowledge just to shut me up. But again, I'd underestimated his tenacity, and knew it then his blazing mismatched eyes retained their usual icy aloofness. "What did you do?"

I flinched at the unintentionally accusatory question, and shook my head in response, my eyes returning to the floor. I had been a fool to think Akashi would cave so easily when he seemingly acquiesced to my begging yesterday afternoon. It had been a trap of sorts; here he was, ready to continue my training as though it had been his intention all along, but pushing the responsibility of moving forward onto me, like I was the obstacle preventing us from doing so.

It was like dangling a piece of fresh meat in front of a starving dog with its leg caught in a trap.

But still, what he wanted from me… I couldn't say it. Unbridled panic was rising in my chest again as memories fought against the walls I'd carefully constructed since their deaths. And as my breathing began to escalate, I knew I couldn't continue with this conversation any longer. I had to leave, to escape. If I didn't, then the emotions would take over me again, leaving me sobbing and curled up like a pathetic creature. Akashi had seen me do that once before already.

"Seijuro… please… Please, don't make me say this. I – I can't."

When I glanced up at him, mentally praying for a miracle, his eyes had lost their initial iciness, but were just as firm. "I won't wait any longer. If you can't tell me now, when will you do so? What's the difference between now and a week? Nothing is going to change. And I will not change my decision."

My heart sank. The thing in my chest squeezed a little tighter, and panic began to leak around the edges of my control. _I couldn't… do this. I couldn't do… this. I couldn't. I couldn't – I couldn't – I –_

"Do you enjoy basketball?"

We both blinked in surprise at the words that seemingly fell out of my mouth, and it took me a moment longer to realise that it was me who said them. Akashi studied me for a moment, his expression perplexed at first, but quite rapidly his eyebrows lowered and his mouth tightened. "Why do you keep asking me that?"

 _Because I need to distract you._ "Uh, because you never really answer me." There was no missing the strangely high note in my voice.

"I told you already, that kind of question doesn't apply to me. I don't enjoy anything, I simply do what needs to be done." His featured hardened as he appraised me, and I fiddled with my lip nervously. "Like what must take place right now. Stop trying to distract me and tell me what I need to know."

"I can't, Akashi."

"Then consider this bet of yours lost." His tone brooked no argument.

I scowled at him, anger once again surging to the forefront. "You heartless bastard."

"I think we established that at the beginning." Suddenly his hand flashed forward, snagging my wrist and dragging me closer to him. I floundered in surprise and automatically yanked back on my captured hand, but that only succeeded in me angering him further. "I'm getting tired of waiting, Setsuna. Stop being a coward."

"How dare you call me that?" I demanded heatedly, the hand in his grasp beginning to shake. "What do you know about it? You wouldn't understand a thing, you spoiled rich kid!" Once again I attempted to take back my appendage, but he only tightened his already strong grip. I barely noticed the pain, instead throwing my head back defiantly and glaring up at him.

"You grew up with a silver spoon in your hand and someone wiping the gourmet food around your mouth with a silk cloth. You don't know the concept of pain! You don't understand what real suffering is! Not the kind that eats away at you until you're nothing but a shell of your former self. Someone like you, who's only ever seen the green side of the fence, has no business accusing other people of being cowards after what they've had to endure! Someone like you has no right to demand something of this magnitude from me!"

"Setsuna…"

The way he practically purred my name halted my anger, and I blinked at the change in his tone. He leaned toward me even more, so that our faces were separated by a scant few centimetres, and in the back of my mind I processed that this was the closest I'd ever been to Akashi. I couldn't look away from his piercing red and orange-gold eyes, and when he spoke next, his breath tickled my cheeks ever so slightly.

"… I am absolute." My eyes widened – and stayed that way.

He waited a moment for my response, and when there was none, he leaned back and unshackled my numb wrist. "You will give me everything. Now."

"The day my parents were murdered, my friend from school had a special dance audition, one that would determine if she made it into the top dancing school in the country. Before it happened she asked if I would come to cheer her on, and I promised that I would. However, when I told my parents about it, they refused to let me go. It was only a few blocks away so I offered to go there myself, but they explained to me that there were rumours of a dangerous stalker in the area and weren't comfortable with leaving the house unnecessarily for a while.

"I was extremely angry with their decision; they were making me break my promise to my friend, and she would be sad because of it. I never really found out if she was," I mused to myself. "It came down to a half-hour before her performance, and I knew by this point she would be very nervous and worried. I got so worked up that I left my parents a note and snuck out of the house."

I snorted once, a bitter sound. "I actually got lost on the way there; it turned out that the dancing studio had been farther away than I expected, and I ended up wandering around the same set of buildings at least three times. I missed her audition _anyway_." My throat caught around the last word. I could sense a panic attack coming on from the rising ball in my chest that seemed to mess with my breathing, making it come in irregular huffs, and hurried to get the words out.

"Eventually I conceded defeat and made my way home, thinking that I would have to apologise to my friend the next day for not making it to her audition. But as soon as I arrived back in our neighbourhood… I could see that something was wrong. People were hurrying towards the park that was just down from our apartment. I followed them – I don't know why I didn't just go home. That would be the normal thing to do, right? Whatever happened there… shouldn't have had anything to do with me… But I just…" I blew out a breath, but it was quickly replaced with another, and before I knew it I was gulping in air like a starving person.

Through it all Akashi simply gazed at me dispassionately, and oddly, his neutral demeanour helped to calm my nerves. I fixed my wide-eyed stare in the middle of his chest and continued, ignoring the fact that my voice had become thick and hoarse.

"I followed the people around me to the park, wondering what had happened. I remember an ambulance pulling up in front of me, and I think that's when the panic set in. I was standing just outside a circle of people, wondering what it was they were surrounding, when I looked across and saw a man sitting on a bench with his head in his hands. A police officer was talking to him, patting him on the back and asking questions. I don't know why this image stuck in my head, but I remember it as though I saw it just a few moments ago…

"After that, everything is pretty much a blur." I shuffled my feet, the next words getting stuck in my throat for a long moment before I could get them out. "My parents had been murdered there in the park, and the man was the one to discover their bodies. When the police saw me there alone they asked where my parents were… I pointed, and then they called my aunt and uncle to come and get me. Two days later they came to our house to get a statement from me and affirm the situation, and they informed _Oba_ -san and _Oji_ -chan that they'd caught the two men who had murdered my parents." The abrupt silence that ensued was strange and misleading, and I awkwardly said, "That's what happened."

Akashi frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with the story. "You haven't explained your part in their deaths." When I began to fidget with my lip again, he crossed his arms. "What aren't you telling me?"

I blew out a shaky breath. Now that I was about to say the words, a different kind fear was making itself known. It was the fear of… rejection. By this point, Akashi had rejected me so many times that I shouldn't have even blinked at the notion, let alone worry myself over it. But for some reason, the thought of him scowling at me in disgust was having a more profound effect on me than I would have liked.

"Setsuna."

"The letter I left for them in my room – it was a lie. I didn't tell them that I was going to the audition. Instead, I… lied and told them I was at the park. It was me, Akashi. I'm the reason they're dead." I closed my eyes, waiting for the condemnation that was sure to come.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen:**

While I waited for his reply, I couldn't seem to stop moving around. My fingers were twisting amongst themselves, I shifted my stance more than once, and my lip was once again undergoing torture from my teeth. My eyes, however, were firmly fixed to his; I found that no matter what he said, I had to see his face, and most importantly, those piercing, mismatched eyes.

Suddenly his mouth began to open, and I mentally prepared myself for what was about to come out.

"Stop biting your lip."

My teeth seized their ministrations almost instantly. The rest of my body followed suit.

"Thank you for disclosing this information to me," he said in an even tone. "I take this as a reaffirmation of the terms of our deal. I will keep my promise and do my best to train you, Setsuna. However –"

"Wait, that's all you have to say about it?" I demanded incredulously.

"What do you want me to say?"

I gaped up at him. "Whatever you want to say! Aren't you shocked? I just told you that I'm the reason two good people are dead! You should be more –"

"More what?" he asked softly. The sudden gentleness in his tone caught me off guard, and I took a step back as though I'd inhaled a cloud of bad-smelling gas.

"More disgusted with me? Outraged? Any normal person would at least grimace. And you stand there like I just confessed that I leave the toilet lid up!" I began to shake my head back and forth, the edges of my vision becoming fogged. "What kind of a reaction is that?"

"Is this why you were so reluctant to tell me your past?" he asked. "You thought I would think these things about you?"

I swallowed once, and then nodded. "I… I didn't mean for it to happen… I just wanted them to see that I could decide things for myself, and that I was someone who would keep her promises no matter what… I wanted them to see that I wasn't like the other kids; shallow and conceited and self-centred. They could be proud of me. That's all I wanted… But in the end, my own selfish desires got them killed. _I_ killed them."

He cocked his head a little, not in the least affected by my outburst. "Why would you think something like that?"

I turned my gaze to my hands, splaying them out in front of me like some sort of offering. "Everything I touch gets destroyed. My aunt believes it, and I know in my heart my uncle feels the same way. He says he's proud of me, and that he'll always love me, but there's no way that can be true. Akashi… tell me, what kind of person could possibly allow themselves to love the one responsible for their sister's death? It's impossible." I shook my head. "I got mad at him that night. After all the bad things _Oba_ -san said about my parents, I was so angry that I degraded him for not defending his sisters memory." My eyes whipped to his, pleading green to impassive red and orange-gold. "He should have kicked me out of his house right then!"

"He couldn't do that, you're still underage."

"He should have, anyway!" I insisted emphatically, my hands twisting together. "They look after me, when really they should have abandoned me. They're putting everything on the line for me; their reputation, their livelihood. It could all come crashing down if this gets out."

His eyes became searching as he asked, "I presume this is the reason you don't protest your aunt's treatment of you." When I didn't reply, he gave a small scoff. "So you're a masochist, then. Interesting. But, I suppose, not very surprising."

I didn't bother to argue his point; instead I simply stared at him, intent on making him see reason and realise that I had done something so terrible, it was unforgiveable. Something drove me even as a small voice pleaded to keep my mouth shut – to keep Akashi from really hating me. Because, although I _knew_ I deserved it, I didn't want Akashi to sneer at me in disgust, or fix me with that _look_ ; the one that spelled judgement. But more than that, I didn't want him to leave me again, for more reasons than to ensure my victory against Chinami.

Akashi may be harsh, but I had to acknowledge he was fair. And if he walked away – knowing everything there was to know – now of all times… then I would know I was truly a monster.

So I waited for his next words with baited breath, eyes fixed to his and limbs still quaking annoyingly. I almost reached down to pinch my leg in an effort to stop it –

"I still don't comprehend why my opinion on this subject matters so much to you," he murmured in a strange tone. "But if you're waiting for the condemnation to come, quit holding your breath."

Akashi casually crossed his arms, staring at me with those indifferent eyes of his that still managed to tangle me in a swarm of mixed emotions – at the forefront of which was plain shock. "I don't think any less of you after hearing what you had to say. That's all. You shouldn't burden yourself with what others think. It's impractical and unnecessary, and likely to distract you from the real goal; beating Chinami and preventing anyone else from learning about this. Do that, and there will be no reason to worry."

I blinked. Hard. Then rubbed my forehead, surreptitiously hiding my eyes. "Seijuro… You –" Suddenly unable to continue past the lump in my throat, I spent a good few moments attempting to clear it away before I regained control of my vocal cords. "– Confuse. The hell. Out of me."

He shrugged once. "I've been known to do so on occasion."

A bitter, wry chuckle escaped me at his words. "Very true. Still, I don't get it…"

"Don't bother trying to; I doubt you would even if I spent all afternoon explaining. So let's move on, shall we?" When I glanced up at him I knew my eyes were big and round, but it didn't seem to have any effect on him at all; in fact, his features had begun to loosen again, face morphing into the indifferent expression I was quite familiar with. "As for the training I'm going to put you through, I think we've established that you are the one who will determine the amount of progress made, in the end. This is no joke, Setsuna; I won't be taking it easy on you anymore." My mouth almost fell open at his words – he'd been going _easy_ on me?

Despite my efforts, my face must have betrayed my disbelief; his eyes became steely and his voice took on that commanding tone that automatically caused my spine to stiffen alertly. "Are you prepared for this? How much do you really wish to beat Chinami?"

With his words still fresh in my brain – and probably forever imprinted there – my answer was quick and decisive. "Nothing else matters; I _have_ to beat her."

He nodded once, satisfied. "Good. Now go clean yourself up." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief.

I blinked at him, confused. Glanced down at the piece of cloth. Back to him.

I had been _crying_?

I reached up to feel my face. Sure enough, it was wet with tears that I'd obviously shed without being aware of doing so. _Oh, you've got to be kidding me…_ Humiliation was swift in coming, and I frantically yanked the hanky out of his hands, turning away and mopping my face furiously. When I turned back I was tear-free, but could feel the heat in my face.

"Thank you," I muttered, handing the silky material – I'd been right about that much, at least – back to him. I didn't miss the slight turn to his nose as he took it.

"You're… welcome. Now prepare yourself; if you think it's been painful for you up until this point, then I'm afraid _you_ are the one who will learn the true meaning of suffering today." The ominous tone to his voice almost had me second-guessing my motives.

Almost _._

"I'm ready." To prove my point I marched over to the abandoned basketball lying beside the court and positioned myself at the centre line, adopting a bent stance.

I paused when I saw that Akashi hadn't moved from his original position, and frowned at him impatiently. He chuckled once, a humourless sound. "Put that ball down, Setsuna. You'll be learning self defence today."

"Really?" Immediately I cheered up, shooting him a smirk. "It's about time!"

His face was carefully blank as he said, "I didn't realise you were so eager to put yourself through this. There's a reason I waited to teach you defence."

The smirk faded from my face quite rapidly. Akashi's warnings were usually foreboding and vastly misleading – from personal experience I had learned to take even the subtlest of hints very seriously. This was definitely a red flag situation.

"W-Why would you say something like that, Akashi-san?"

"Learning how to get the ball into the other hoop is simple; trying to keep it out of your own, however, is an altogether different scenario." I nearly missed the minor lift to his mouth, yet it managed to change his appearance from aloof and unfeeling to slightly… sinister. "One that requires a substantial amount of observation, reflexes and timing. In order to maximise these skills to their greatest potential, we must improve your cardio and strength.

"In other words," he surmised, "Rather than individual skill, the victor of the game is usually determined by whichever player can hold out the longest. Even if you have good attacking technique, it's useless if you do not have the stamina to defend your own basket."

I blinked at his uncharacteristically long explanation. Normally he would shoot multiple instructions at me all at once, putting me under pressure to quickly learn and implement them. To have him carefully break down to the fundamentals exactly what was entailed in defence was slightly alarming. Imagining the kind of physical torment I was about to endure actually caused my heart to skip a beat, as though it, too, were cringing at the thought of it all.

 _Cardio and strength, huh? Man, this is going to be a pain –_

His composed voice snapped me out of my musings. "Are you ready for this, Setsuna? There is no time for hesitation."

"I said I was, didn't I?" In return, my tone was determined, and I fixed him with a steely gaze. "Let's do it." I tossed the ball to him, and he caught it with one hand – making me suddenly appreciate just how _not_ _small_ they were.

He nodded once, a definitive gesture, and began to advance. I surveyed him carefully, keeping my legs bent and my eyes on his torso, watching for even the slightest movement that would indicate his choice of direction.

Then he began to speak, and I made the mistake of pausing and looking up into his cold red and orange-gold eyes.

"In response to your earlier questions," he began, still casually dribbling the ball in his right hand, "I think I… dislike basketball."

He flashed past me while I stood there frozen, the squeaking of shoes and swishing sound of the net resonating throughout the gym.

* * *

Through the windows of the school building, the sun was just beginning its descent to the horizon as I walked through the halls. The warm, golden rays decorated sections of the floor, and as the five words I'd heard come out of Akashi's mouth not an hour before sifted through my brain on repeat, I thought the colour was oddly reminiscent of his eyes. Well, one of them, anyway.

 _I think I… dislike basketball._

For some reason – which I refused to analyse too closely – the words had had a more profound effect on me than I'd expected. I certainly hadn't been prepared to hear them, least of all from the boy who excelled at the sport on a professional level. Over and over again they played in my head, confusing me, making me think back on everything I'd learned about him since we'd begun training together.

Suddenly a memory from days ago resurfaced in my mind; when Kise had visited, he'd revealed something about Akashi that even at the time had seemed significant. Scowling, I cast back through my memory, trying to remember his exact words.

" _After his match against Seirin, he went off the grid for a few days, and when Midorimacchi went to talk to him, he told me that Akashicchi was different; more 'accepting', not that I know what that meant. But even I noticed the change in him."_

I frowned. Could that have been the change in Akashi – the fact that he'd begun to dislike basketball? But how in the world would _losing_ make someone like Akashi – who made it his mission in life to avoid that particular pothole at all costs – more 'accepting'? He should have been furious and vowing revenge on Seirin; wasn't that what normal teenage boys did in the face of defeat? Perhaps Kise had misheard Midorima…

 _"Before we all went our separate ways, Akashi's basketball changed. Instead of playing basketball for the thrill and excitement it brought… he began to play for nothing more than to obtain victory."_

The words Midorima had spoken that time at the café remained fresh in my brain. _Akashi's basketball had changed…_ Perhaps, in middle school, he had been just like this Kuroko I'd been hearing so much about. If I met _him_ … would I see the past version of Akashi? If I could just know who he was before, maybe I could figure out what had caused his character to change so drastically.

"… _Akashicchi was different; more 'accepting'…"_

Over and over again his face began to flash through my mind – the familiar Akashi – the scary Akashi – the unreadable Akashi –

"… _He began to play for nothing more than to obtain victory…"_

Which Akashi decided that was a good idea?

"… _I think I… dislike basketball…"_

Was that the real Akashi talking?

"… _Even I noticed the change in him…"_

All this information, and still, nothing made sense! It wasn't enough – I needed solid facts, more of what he'd been like _before_.

I sighed as my mind continued to whir, contemplating what in the world Akashi could have meant. Dammit, I beginning to resent the one-liner's he continued to pull on me! Was he doing it deliberately –?

"– Think I don't know what you're up to?" demanded an incredulous voice. I jerked in surprise; I hadn't even heard the pair of raised voices ahead over my own inner musings. When a female voice replied something in a hushed tone, I attempted to quickly and quietly sneak past the corridor they were standing in.

That was, until one of the voices stopped me dead in my tracks; the female one.

"Oh, get over it, Kotaro. You know there's nothing going on. You're trying to make something out of nothing – again!"

There was no doubt – Chinami was the one arguing in that corridor. I just barely stopped myself from banging my head into the wall out of frustration. Surely then Karma would be satisfied…

"That's Kotaro- _senpai_ to you. And it's not nothing," the boy – Kotaro – insisted stubbornly. "I have eyes; I see you checking him out everyday, going out of your way to make conversation with him. I take shit from the guys whenever you ask about him." There was a brief pause, during which I frantically began to reroute in my head the fastest way out of the school, before he spoke again. "All we ever talk about, when we're not having sex, is Akashi-san. I don't like talking about other guys while we're doing it. I'm done with it."

Okay, just hearing the 'S-word' was enough to have me backing away cautiously; obviously this was not a conversation I wanted to overhear, regardless of who it involved –

"Oh, you're over it? Is that how it is?" Chinami demanded in a haughty voice. "You're just going to end this based on a bunch of false assumptions that aren't even true?"

"Yep. To be honest, I couldn't see this relationship going much further anyway, but it really started to suck towards the end, you know?" Even my eyes widened at the boy's harsh words – man that had to sting. "But whatever, it's over now. I guess I had fun. Later."

Aaaaaannnd it was time to leave. Like, pronto.

Luckily the unmistakable sound of footsteps seemed to be heading away from my current position, and, making use of the distraction, I slowly poked my head around the corner.

Chinami was standing with her back to me, staring after the retreating form of her now-ex-boyfriend – had they even been a legitimate couple? – like she'd forgotten something important. Quickly and quietly I tiptoed across the open expanse of flooring, and once she was gone from my sight, almost ran the rest of the way out of the school.

Last item on my list of 'What Strange Sights Am I Bound to See at School Today'? Witnessing the dramatic break-up scene between my sworn nemesis and her mystery 'boyfriend'. Or maybe, not-so-mysterious…

As I walked the familiar trek home, I internally went over all the boys in our school with the name Kotaro, then proceeded to narrow them to a list of boys Chinami would actually bother to look at twice – needless to say, the number lessened dramatically. Next was fitting them to the limited description I had received from their brief conversation, and it was then I knew I had the correct candidate.

Popular male-figure? Check.

Physically handsome enough to attract the one and only Suzuki Chinami? Check.

Willing to date a good-looking chick, regardless of her current mental stability and lack of control of over-obsessive tendencies? Check.

Reasonably close relationship to Akashi? … Check.

Yes, I knew precisely who that was. Hayama Kotaro, a second-year, first-string player on the Rakuzan High basketball team, was obviously the prime candidate.

* * *

"Hey, Setsuna-chan! You were going to leave without giving your favourite uncle a goodbye kiss?" My uncle gave a small pout to punctuate his words.

I glanced over my shoulder and grinned at him guiltily from my position in the doorway. "Um, you're my _only_ uncle, _Oji_ -chan. Besides, aren't you a little old for that kind of stuff?"

He gave a derisive snort. "As if!" Then he charged for me, scooping me up from around my waist and dragging me unceremoniously back into the confines of the house.

I let out a little yelp at the indignity of the act and swatted his arm. " _Oji_ -chan! Put me down, I'm not a little kid anymore!"

"Oh, I'll put you down," he agreed readily, setting me back on my feet with a huff. "But not because you're too old…" When I turned to glare at him, he made a show of clutching his back and making a pained face.

"You…" Sticking my chin up, I crossed my arms and fixed him with a contemptuous glower. "How do you manage to run a business with that kind of abominable decorum?"

His eyes widened, and then he guffawed. "Isn't it a little too early in the morning for such big words?"

"Isn't it a little too early in the morning to be hauling your niece around like a sack of potatoes and then indiscreetly hinting at the likeness between said vegetables and her weight?" I retorted.

"I never said you looked like a sack of potatoes…"

When I just scowled, he chuckled slowly. "Don't be mad, Setsuna-chan. Would you forgive me if I told you that you're the least potato-like niece I have?" My scowl turned even fiercer, causing his chuckle to escalate into full-blown laughter. Abruptly his hands flashed forward and grasped my shoulders in a firm grip, pulling me towards him. Encasing me in what could only be described as a massive bear hug, he murmured softly, "You'll still miss me, right?"

At that moment, through the gap in his arm, I glimpsed _Oba_ -san strolling out of the kitchen; when she caught sight of us, a small grimace decorated her features before she stalked off towards the study.

Suddenly, like a small tidal wave, I was overcome with emotion. I could barely comprehend that he was leaving already, after such a short time at home with us… Three months until we would see each other again. Three months until I got to see his welcoming smile, and could listen to him crack the multitude of terrible jokes that he seemed to save up especially for us during his time away. Three months until someone would compliment me on the cleanliness of our house, or sneak chocolates to me when _Oba_ -san wasn't looking. Against my will, tears began to overflow, coursing down my cheeks and all over the front of his shirt.

I was going to miss him _terribly_.

Now more than ever I was acutely aware of how lucky I was to be loved by my uncle; that he could still bear to embrace me after all that had happened…

 _You don't deserve this…_ the small, insidious voice in my head whispered

 _I know,_ I replied, and tightened my arms around him.

* * *

After my tears were dry – and my uncle finished complaining about his ruined shirt – I pulled myself together and proceeded to have as normal a morning as possible. I arrived to each of my classes early, studiously copied down all the notes that were recommended by _Sensei_ for our fast-approaching exams, and even managed to get a head start on my homework for that day.

Despite the other superfluous things happening in my personal life, I was determined to maintain my ordinarily flawless grades.

So, when I walked into the library at lunch, I was very unprepared for the reaction that was waiting for me after I found my seat. Humming softly to myself, I pulled out my lunch and my book – still _'To Kill a Mockingbird'_ – and had just begun to read the final chapter when it happened.

"KOIZUMI SETSUNAAAA!"

I, along with everyone else in the library, jumped and spun around to face the unholy roar that had hushed the entire room. My eyes widened when I saw him; Eisuke was bearing down on me with such a thunderous expression on his face that I actually quailed a little. When he reached me, he planted his hands on the table between us and leaned toward me menacingly, fixing his deep blue eyes to mine.

"Is it true? Is it really happening in three days?"

"I-Is w-what happening, Oshiro-san?"

"You know what!" he exclaimed. There was no way he was catching the glares that were pointing at him from all corners of the library.

In an attempt to calm him, I lowered my own voice as I said, "I think you're going to have to be a little more specific. I have no idea what –"

"You mean to tell me that your birthday is in three days, and YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?!"

I gaped at him. All this ruckus… over my _birthday_? "Eisuke," I began slowly, "Are you _absolutely insane_?" I ended my words with a hiss, and shut my book with a snap. "You've done it now! We're going to get kicked out because _you_ couldn't keep your _big_ mouth –"

"Who in the world is making all of this commotion?" the library lady demanded as she marched into the room. Immediately I sat back in my chair, adopting an innocent set of features and demure pose. Her sharp eyes quickly fixed themselves onto Eisuke's hunched, intimidating form and narrowed. "Young man, what do you think you're doing? You're in a library, for goodness sake! I will never, not ever, condone such behaviour in this peaceful domain that I and countless others work very hard to maintain. You!" She pointed a perfectly manicured finger at Eisuke, and I couldn't stop my sag of relief; quickly I went back to reading my book, acting as though I'd had nothing to do with it. "And you!" When I glanced up incredulously, that accusing finger was pointing me dead in the face. "Both of you, out! And you're not to set foot back in here for the rest of the term! Am I understood?"


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note:**

Hello again, everyone! Hope you're all well.

I want to thank all my followers for their patience with this fanfic. I'll admit I've had some troubles recently trying to figure this all out, but I'm getting myself back on track the more I write. Funny how that works…

Please stay with me as I unfold both the plot and underlying personalities of the characters in my story (not including KnB characters, of course, because they most definitely and regrettably are _not_ mine).

I was smiling evilly while writing this chapter – very evilly. I had so much fun as I wrote! Before I realised it, a whole chapter went past dedicated almost entirely to Setsuna and Eisuke. Perhaps that's because I have been writing a lot about Setsuna and Seijuro lately, and I felt that Setsuna and Eisuke needed to, uh… _bond_ a little more. Not that I mind; I always love their conversations. But don't worry! I will give each and every character their time in my story.

For all the people who review my story, both regularly and as a once off, I extend my utmost thanks. Without you, I would probably be missing a good chunk of the motivation it takes to write my fic; the other chunk is solely due to the characters' voices in my head bullying me into making them known to the world (they wouldn't leave me alone the last two months!)

So it is with great pleasure that I present to you the nineteenth chapter in this story of a troubled teen thrown into circumstances she doesn't really grasp the full depth of, with the genius former captain of the GOM her only guide.

* * *

 **Chapter Nineteen:**

Of all the ways I'd pictured this day playing out, it definitely was _not_ losing the one place I could go to every day and truly be myself, without inhibition. Today was supposed to be a _normal_ day; the first one among many _ab_ normal ones. Not for the first time, I began to question my taste in character that could have possibly lead me to become friends with this total _moron_ –

"Oh, cheer up Setsuna-chan! I already apologised before, didn't I?"

I almost succumbed to the temptation to punch my so-called friend right in his lengthy, muscled arm – fortunately for him his face was out of my reach – as hard as I could. Clenching my fists to keep the urge at bay, I grated through clenched teeth, "You think that's going to fix anything? Because of you, I lost my favourite lunch place in this whole school! That was my _space_!"

" _Our_ space," Eisuke corrected promptly. "And it was only good because I was there. Imagine spending each lunchtime in the library all by yourself…"

"What's that?" I asked, cupping my hand around my ear. "My ultimate fantasy calling to me?"

Eisuke glared down at me as we walked. "You're just mad right now –"

"Yes, of _course_ I'm mad –!"

"So I'm going to ignore everything you're saying until you're calm again."

My eyes closed for a brief moment. _Lord, please give me strength…_

While I was mentally listing all the reasons why it wouldn't be a good idea to start an argument with him, Eisuke asked slowly, "So, about your birthday…"

"Yes, it's in three days." _You over-reactive lunatic_.

He frowned down at me. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

When I glanced up at him, seeing his troubled eyes, I sighed and gave a little shrug. "In all honesty, I wasn't paying attention to the date. With everything going on, I've been really… distracted." Silence ensued, and just as I was thinking the conversation was over, Eisuke's deep chuckling made me glare up at him in annoyance. "What's funny?"

"Only you… would forget your own birthday." And then he threw back his head laughing.

"Whatever, I'm going to find someplace peaceful – and by peaceful, I mean _without_ you – to relax!"

Suddenly he reached over, snagged my hand and began pulling me behind him. "Come on, we'll talk about it while you show me all the awesome skills you've picked up in the past two weeks."

I raised a puzzled brow. "You mean _basketball_ skills?"

"No, I mean twerking skills."

"What's twerking?" I asked.

He shot me an incredulous look as he dragged me along. "Uh, have you _seen_ the Internet in the last, I dunno, _ten_ years?"

I rolled my eyes at his dramatics. "Yes, I have. Still haven't seen it."

"That's okay, I'll show it to you." He waggled his eyebrows at me, immediately making me think that allowing him to demonstrate this 'twerking' business might very well be a bad idea…

"I'll pass, thanks."

He laughed again, but I didn't get a chance to reprimand him before we were at the gym. The court nearest us was already in use, but only half of the one farthest from the entry was taken.

"I'll get the ball," Eisuke offered, and a few moments later we stood facing each other with the ball in my possession.

"So," he began whilst bending his knees into a slightly crouched stance, "You're birthday's gonna be on Sunday… Got any plans?"

"Study," I promptly replied, and then feinted to the left. He followed me and, after crossing to the right – which caused him to shift his stance again and thus lose his centre of gravity – I twisted around him, dribbling all the while. My movements were quick and decisive, something that had taken nearly all of my training sessions with Akashi to develop. Still, I knew I only had seconds before Eisuke was on me again. Making a beeline for the hoop, I jumped and launched the ball from my hand; it rebounded off the backboard before slinking through the net.

When I turned, I was met with a gawking Eisuke. I snickered at his expression, bent to collect the ball and threw it to him. "Come on. It's your turn."

He finally blinked and fixed me with a puzzled frown. "You've improved… He's pretty good."

"He? Don't you mean _she_?" Realisation struck, and I skewered him with a glower so fierce it made him step back a little. "Oh, I get it. You think this was all _his_ doing. Like I didn't have anything to do with it; _he's_ the sole reason I've improved my game so much, is that it?"

"N-No! That's not true –"

"Oh yes, I believe that's what you were trying to say."

"No!" he insisted, his hands clutching the ball tighter as his dark brow furrowed. "That's not what I meant at all. It's just… Well… Oh come on, you have to acknowledge that he did have _some_ impact! It's Akashi, after all."

I was about to retort when a presence registered behind me; Eisuke's eyes had shifted to somewhere above my right shoulder, and when I turned, Hayama Kotaro was standing there with a smirk on his boyish features. Though I couldn't put my finger on why, that arrogant smirk irked me.

"'Sup Eisuke," he greeted with a small wave.

"Hayama-senpai," he acknowledged with a strange look. "What's up?"

Kotaro shrugged. "Just wanted to ask you why you decided to drop out of the team?"

I froze. _Oh crap…_

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Eisuke asked with a frown; his puzzled expression seized my heart in a tight grip and succeeded in throwing me into an all-out silent panic.

"Well," he began, casually waving his hand around, "You didn't make the pre-listing for next year's team. Akashi-san said he'd put you on there, didn't he?" There was no missing the taunt in his voice.

Eisuke's features began to darken, but before he could reply I quickly cut in. "I'm sure it's all a misunderstanding, Oshiro-san. Akashi probably just forgot to put you on there; in fact –" In the midst of a spark of brilliance I blurted, " – Hayama-senpai! Why don't you ask him about it?"

His blithe expression immediately turned sour. "Why me?"

"W-Well… Uh… He's your captain, isn't he? It would seem strange and ill-mannered if Oshiro-san were to approach him himself and demand to know why his name didn't make the list, since he's not a player yet."

"Hmmm… I still don't get why I gotta be the one to go talk to him."

 _Think, Setsuna, think!_ "That's because… you could probably kill two birds with one stone?" Had that come out sounding like a question? When the two boys gave me a confused look, I decided to just roll with what my gut was telling me. "You see, Akashi and I were talking the other day –"

"Huh? Akashi-san and _you_?" His head tilted a little as he raked his gaze over me, and that annoying smirk was back. "I guess I can see how that's possible… What's your name, little girl?"

A vein popped on my forehead; I was about to give this disrespectful jerk a verbal lesson in manners when beside me, I felt Eisuke bristle, snapping me out of my anger-filled haze.

"It's Koizumi…" I hurriedly supplied, glancing apprehensively at Eisuke before continuing. "Anyway, Akashi-san and I were speaking about the basketball team. Although he is the captain, Akashi's still a first-year, and I noticed that he… uh, seemed to lack proper decorum when he spoke of the older players. Even you, Hayama-senpai."

Kotaro glowered at the ground for a moment, and then closed his eyes in resignation whilst scrubbing the back of his blonde head. "Ah, well, this is Akashi-san we're talking about; he's the captain, so…"

 _Akashi is going to kill me for this._ "He was calling everyone else by senpai, but when he referred to you, he said 'Kotaro' –"

"Akashi-san, you two-faced bastard, I'm coming for you!" Kotaro yelled as he raced for the door, leaving a terribly baffled Eisuke in his wake.

I had to contain the small sigh of relief that threatened to escape. _Crisis averted…_

 _And another potential crisis on the horizon._

"What was that about?" Eisuke's firm question snapped me out of my daze.

Forcing a casual shrug, I said, "No idea. Guess he had some stuff to sort out with Akashi-san." When I faced him, he was frowning down at me with suspicion. _Crap, not again! Distraction number two is a go._ "Hey, did you know him and Chinami were a thing?"

His eyebrows rose in surprise, and I gave a mental cheer. "No…"

"Yep," I continued with a brusque nod. "I didn't realise either. I found out yesterday, whilst witnessing their less-than-pleasant break up scene, that they were, uh…" A small blush decorated my features.

"Having sex?" Eisuke supplied with a little grin.

"Sleeping together," I corrected firmly, shooting him a ' _grow up'_ look.

His small chuckle only lasted a moment before his expression once again turned grim. "Chinami and Kotaro, huh… Now, that's a strange combination."

"I thought the same." I tapped his arm, letting him know it was time to continue playing, and dropped into a defensive stance as he began to dribble. "But… I think there was a reason."

"Oh yeah?" he murmured distractedly. "Like what?"

"Well, Kotaro seemed to think that she was only using him to get closer to Akashi."

As soon as the words were out of my mouth he ceased dribbling. Frowning impatiently, I was about to deliver a protest when I took in his expression. "What is it?"

"Now _that_ makes… a lot of sense."

"You think so?" He nodded. "Well, so what? She's just got issues, that's all."

"I know that," he agreed sullenly, bracing the ball against his hip and glaring at the floor.

I waved my hand in front of his face impatiently. "So what's the problem?" When his eyes finally met mine, deep blue to deep green, my impatience quickly turned to concern. "What are you thinking?"

"I think… that you should call off the bet."

Silence. Complete, utter silence. Then –

"Are you _absolutely_ insane?"

Through gritted teeth he replied, "No, I'm not. That's the second time you've asked me that, and I'm getting real sick of hearing it."

"Then you'll take that statement back." My tone was equally strained.

"No, I won't," he said resolutely. "Listen Setsuna, this whole situation is getting out of hand. What you witnessed yesterday is just confirming that –"

"So what you're saying is, I should tell Chinami that I quit, and in return she can tell the whole school about my past as well as the fact that I chickened out of the bet?" I gave a small snicker of disbelief at the thought. "Yeah, that's a real win-win situation. For her. I can't believe you would suggest something so ludicrous, Eisuke."

While I spoke, I hadn't noticed his hands slowly clamping tighter around the ball. "Setsuna, for once in your life would you just _listen to me_ instead of jumping down my throat every time I open my mouth?" My jaw snapped shut in response, and he continued as though taking it as an invitation. "This whole idea was mine; I take full responsibility for that fact. I didn't realise the kind of effect it would have on you."

"What are you talking about, Eisuke?"

"I'm talking about the fact that you're driving yourself into the ground every day! You're putting yourself through the ringer trying to study for exams, learn basketball, and deal with whatever it is that's happened in your past, all at once. And all for what? A _bet_?" At my surprised look, he gave me a sympathetic glance. "I know that whatever information she is holding over you is important, but for you to go this far…"

"Eisuke…" I interrupted slowly, gazing up at his eyes, "Will you just drop it already? Stop trying to take responsibility for me. You didn't get me into this; if anyone's to blame, it's Chinami. She's the one who started this whole mess." I elected not to tell him about her initial misguided observations of Akashi and I – something told me that he would only use the information to further his point. "But now I have to deal with it, and this is the only way I can do that."

"You're wrong."

I raised an incredulous brow. "I beg your pardon?"

When he spoke, his voice was strong and firm. "You're wrong about that. There are other ways to avoid a crisis."

I threw my hands in the air. "Like what?"

He began to shift unsteadily from foot to foot, his demeanour turning uncomfortable. "Um, well… Like I said, there _are_ ways to go about this that can really help the situation, but you just have to be open-minded about it, you know? Like, you can't just reject them outright when you don't know how it's gonna play out –"

"Eisuke," I gritted, "just spit it out."

"I think you should tell someone that Chinami is bullying you."

When I waited for more information, he just continued to fidget, so I prompted him with, "Someone like…?"

"The principal. Or another teacher; someone close to you." He wilted a little under my stare. "Are you… close with any teachers, Setsuna-chan?"

"No, Eisuke, I'm not."

"Well, a sympathetic teacher then, or maybe just straight to the principal – I don't know, anyone who has the authority to put a stop to all this will do!"

Sighing, I rubbed a hand over my forehead in an attempt to alleviate the headache that was rapidly developing. "Eisuke, do you have any idea how that sounds? If I went to the principal about this, not only would he demand every ounce of information about the incident – which Chinami would happily provide – but he would also contact my aunt and uncle about it. They would be mortified once they realise that the truth had gotten out, and then they'd find out that I lied about how I've been spending my afternoons this entire month. I'd be grounded for the rest of my high school life!"

He paused, musing over my points while rubbing his chin thoughtfully, before shaking his head. "No, I still think this way is better; rather have only a few people who will keep their mouths shut know about the truth than the whole school."

"Or," I corrected punctually, "Win the bet and nobody finds out!"

"Win the bet and lose your mind, you mean? Because like it or not, that's what's happening!" He took a step closer to me. And another. Suddenly he was standing directly before me, his fingers releasing the ball – the dull bouncing sound barely registering – before lifting to my chin and pinching softly. I was so shocked by the movement that my body stilled.

He sighed once, and he was so close to me that I could feel the warmth of his breath tickling my nose. "Do you think I can't see what this is doing to you? It's driving me crazy. Setsuna, you have to realise that nothing is more important than your health. Do you understand?"

His fingers traced from my chin to my jaw, cupping there gently as his blue eyes blazed with a fierceness that I had recently become familiar with. "I won't allow you to continue with this pointless ambition. Not when it's hurting you. I'm very aware of what you're capable of; you're a fierce little tigress when you get going, and I know this because I've been on the receiving end of your claws more than once. But – I know this is going to sound harsh, and you're probably going to get mad at me for saying it – but… this is something even you couldn't handle, Setsuna-chan. And watching you struggle day after day… I can't… handle it. I can't keep watching you do this…"

A snicker sounded from somewhere to my left, and the fogginess in my peripheral vision cleared enough for me to see that the boys using the court next to us had taken both notice and interest in our conversation. Evidently Eisuke realised this as well, because he shot them a fierce glare, causing them to chortle before resuming their game. With a sigh, he glanced back down at me in concern. "Did you hear what I said, Setsuna-chan?" His expression turned droll. "Don't tell me I just wasted all that breath –"

"Then don't."

He frowned. "Huh?"

Finally regaining control of my vocal chords, I proceeded to put them to good use. "I said don't! You don't have to watch," I exclaimed, wrenching my face from his large hands. I snatched the ball from its place on the ground and shoved it into his arms, rocking him a little. "I didn't ask for you to be here! If you're just going to be a negative presence, it's probably best you aren't. All you're telling me is you don't think I can do this, that you don't have faith in me. I don't need that kind of attitude around me right now. If you can't support me in my decisions, then I'd rather you kept your opinions and your _suggestions_ to yourself!"

He stared down at me, watching with those deep blue eyes of his, before rubbing the back of his neck and breathing out a sigh. "Geez… You're a real handful."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded heatedly.

"We're always fighting. Why do we always fight? We're like an old couple." He gave a derisive snort. "Oh wait, I know; it's because every time I try and help you or pry into your 'personal life' –" he made air-quotes as he said this "– you go all psycho and chew me out!"

"Well, any rational person would think you'd learned to keep your nose out of it by now!"

"Do I look rational to you?" He gestured to himself meaningfully. "Because I'm not! I'm going crazy here! And it's because of _you_ and your stupid, irrational need to put yourself through _hell_ to gain happiness! You're a complete masochist, Setsuna."

When I just gazed at him silently, his hands fastened themselves to my shoulders and he leaned toward me. "Listen to me. Chinami is obviously obsessed with Akashi, and with him spending his personal time with you in the afternoons to train you _to beat her_ , she sees you as an obstacle that needs to be removed. And that's what she's gonna do! Do you honestly think you're going to come out of this unscathed? She'll tear you down, with her bare hands if she has to!"

For a brief moment, I was a little shaken by how on-the-mark Eisuke was with his statement. From the encounter's I'd already had with Chinami, I knew that his words were true. Maybe he had a point…

Quickly I shook that ridiculous notion from my brain. Doing something like that could only lead to disaster; with this bet, I had the chance to return everything to the way it had once been. And with Akashi's help, there was an even greater chance of this all turning out fine.

I was going to win, and prevent my secret from getting out myself.

Shaking his hands from their perch on my shoulders, I crossed my arms and fixed Eisuke with a stern gaze. "I'm aware of the risks involved in this, but ultimately it's my decision to make, and I choose to do it my way. It's the only choice I have." He sagged a little when I was done, and immediately I couldn't help but feel a little chagrined. "Look, I get that you're trying to help, and I do appreciate the care you have for me, but this is my battle, and I won't have anyone try and interfere. Not because it irritates me, but because I know what I'm doing is the right thing to do. Can't you just accept that?"

He shook his head back and forth, still without looking at me. "You're so stubbornly independent…" He fixed his eyes to mine. "No, I can't accept it. I'm sorry. But… I'll still be here. Probably because not knowing drives me even more insane than seeing you… do this to yourself."

Suddenly he turned and began to walk away. Surprised, I called after him, "Where are you going?"

"To get ready for class," he replied.

It was odd, the sight of his retreating back – usually I was the one to have the last word.

I let out an exhausted breath and clasped my forehead in one hand. Eisuke was right – we did fight a lot. But it was mostly because he was a moron who thought he knew everything! And… probably also because he cared too much.

He'd gotten us kicked out of the library because he was outraged over the fact that I hadn't told him about my _birthday_ , for goodness sake… Seriously, how good could a person be before they became a saint? That was the problem with Eisuke, I realised suddenly. He was too caring; too _compassionate_. Nearly everything he did was for someone else. Despite his perverted schemes and wily behaviour, he was the type that would take a bullet for a complete stranger.

 _And he chose you of all people to be his friend…_

I couldn't help but envision his reaction if he ever learned about the darkness of my past, and had to clasp my midsection when it rolled. Would he finally see me as a monster, suddenly realising the magnitude of the mistake he had made in letting me in? Or would he shrug and brush the information off like it was nothing? No, that was impossible. What kind of person would –?

Oh, right.

Still, Akashi and Eisuke were two completely different people; Eisuke lived in the light, while Akashi operated in the dark. After our most recent encounter, I got the impression that perhaps Akashi understood me better than I'd originally believed. I frowned at the thought; but for that to be possible, he too must have been touched by the foul darkness of pain and suffering at some point…

Well, there was no way for me to tell for sure. What I absolutely knew was that there was no place for Eisuke in my past; he above all others could never learn my secret.

' _Every time I try and help you or pry into your 'personal life', you go all psycho and chew me out!'_

I sighed again, finally making my way to the exit for class. _That's because you alone have the power to destroy me, Eisuke._

* * *

 **(Another) Author's Note:**

Okay, truthfully, I did not see this chapter turning out the way it did. I was just writing according to the plot I had set out when suddenly, one thing led to another, and then… Yep, you understand. This is what happens _every time_ I write! Does anyone else share this terrible habit?

I'm actually really excited to see how this story plays out; mostly because I myself do not fully know! And that is both terribly frustrating and wonderfully thrilling.

If it strikes your fancy – and I hope it does – please leave a review of your thoughts on the chapter, or the story as a whole. I do so love them!

P.S. The next chapter will be in Eisuke's POV.


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note:**

Okay all you Eisuke-lovers, it's time for you to get your fix. This chapter is dedicated entirely to our fave white knight, so we'll finally get to see what's going on in his pretty little head. And believe it or not, I'm just as excited as you to see how this plays out! Eisuke is still developing, after all, so anything can happen with him…

By the way, this _is_ Eisuke we're talking about, and he is not as refined and well-mannered as Setsuna. So be warned, there will be a bit of bad language in this chapter, and the writing style may change to better suit his personality. Obviously.

So, if Eisuke is your man, read and swoon away! Otherwise, hang in there for the next chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty:**

 _~ Eisuke ~_

"Yo, Eisuke-san!" a voice called from behind me.

 _Ignore it._ But I'd already begun to involuntary turn. _Dammit._

A boy – pretty sure his name was Ryuuji or something – stood a distance away from me, waving his arm overhead. _Yeah, I see you buddy._

I sighed and tried to make this quick. "What's up?"

As he trotted up to me, I finally recognised the kid's face; he and I played ball after school sometimes. Unfortunately for him, his lack of size and skill had made him target practice for some of the other – much larger – douche bags out there looking for an easy kill. Which, for reasons better left unknown, thoroughly pissed me off.

Still, I'd never really _spoken_ to the guy.

When he finally caught up, he stood a full head shorter than me. "You gonna be at the courts today?" Those large, hopeful brown eyes made me squirm.

"Uh…" Scrubbing the back of my head thoughtfully, I went through a mental checklist of all the things I needed to get done later. _Homework, chores, Setsuna-chan's present… Oh, and gotta feed the cat._ Which I'd forgotten to do that this morning. _Crap_.

I realised that the kid – Ryuuji – was still waiting for an answer. "Sorry, I have a lot of stuff to do after school. I'll catch up with you some other time." As I turned away, something had me turning back to mutter, "Actually, it's probably best you stayed away from the courts for today." _Since I won't be there to have your back against those thugs._

He blinked once, surprised. "Uh, okay… if you say so. See you later, Eisuke-san."

But as he lifted his arm to wave, I was already hastening away, not really sure where I was headed. What time was it anyway? I frowned, checked my watch, and sighed when I realised we still had fifteen minutes left of lunch. Normally I'd be kicking back with the crazy-haired tigress I'd left behind in the gym, but after all that had been said, I knew time away was what we both needed.

 _Geez, that girl…_ She drove me mental sometimes – no, all the time. And the scariest part? I wasn't even sure if it was her or my short fuse that set me off. All I knew was that ever since Akashi had come into play, she'd been emitting so many emotions it made my head spin. And unfortunately, I'd probably received the worst of them.

' _I didn't ask for you to be here! If you're just going to be a negative presence, it's probably best you aren't.'_

' _Negative_ _presence'_? Was that how she saw me? Marching back in there to make her admit that I wasn't suddenly sounded like a pretty damn good idea. All I wanted was to keep her healthy – keep her _safe_.

Sometimes, I actually found myself wishing we could go back to when we never fought. She would sit back with that aloof, unfazed air and read as I pretended to puzzle over _Shogi,_ instead spending most of the time watching the way those glasses of hers brought out the green in her eyes. Sometimes, without her even noticing, a lock of dark red hair would escape its tight ponytail and curl around her cheek. She would never know how much I had to fight back the urge to reach forward and tuck that little strand back into place. I wanted back to the times when _I_ was her only rock, her only friend –

 _All you're telling me is you don't think I can do this, that you don't have faith in me._

At the words, my stride lengthened. Dammit, that wasn't true! How to make her see that she is driving me insane with worry and guilt? Every day she walked into that library looking more tired than the day before. That tight, impeccable ponytail was getting messier – more strands taunting me from their perch against her cheek – and under her eyes, there was an everlasting dark ring that hadn't been there before. She looked haggard, wrung-out –

 _Stronger._

My ordinarily sure step jerked a little. _Stronger_? How in the…

Suddenly that thought broke off as a mental image of Setsuna filled my mind – from a month ago. She had been what someone of my size could comfortably refer to as mouse-like; small, skinny and relatively timid. Now… underneath her shirt, her pale arms had become more toned, and when she walked, her calves flexed with quiet strength. Had all that just been from training with Akashi of an afternoon? No, surely she was doing some other form of exercise in her own time…

But more than that, I realised with a frown; Setsuna's behaviour had changed as well, if only a little. Where she used to shrug and act indifferently whenever a rumour about her had surfaced, she now openly scowled at hands that concealed whispers of her name. The flawless solutions she had once quietly kept to herself in math she volunteered to share when no one else understood the problem.

I recalled with perfect clarity how much that used to bother me. Whenever someone whispered about her, whether directly in front of her or behind her back, she would shrug and act like it didn't affect her. And maybe it didn't – but it sure as hell had affected me. The only thing that had kept me from blowing up right there had been the knowledge of her imminent fury if I drew any form of attention to her in public. Which, of course, also made me mad. But somehow, while I hadn't been looking, Setsuna had gained confidence.

And… I hadn't been the one responsible for the change.

 _Akashi, you sly bastard._

At that moment, a twinkle of familiar blonde hair abruptly entered my vision; Kotaro was making his way through the crowd with a put-out scowl on his face and eyes blazing with retribution. I had to tamp down the initial tingle of satisfaction over my – future – teammates obvious irritation. Evidently, he was still livid over his captain's lack of proper etiquette regarding him.

 _Guess he didn't manage to track down Akashi after all…_ I frowned. _Which means he's off to find him._ Check of the watch. _Fifteen minutes, huh?_

* * *

Having successfully tailed Kotaro without the moron noticing my hulking form trailing not five metres behind him, I found myself in a – _situation_. I'd labelled it as such because Kotaro had taken in upon himself to look for Akashi in the _library_ – the one place in the entire school besides the girl's bathrooms that I was forbidden to enter.

 _But,_ I reasoned to myself with crossed arms, _The latter had never stopped me before… Not gonna back out now._ The thought lent me the courage I needed, and without further hesitation I hurried into the room and sought shelter behind the nearest bookshelf, eyes peeling for that tell-tale flash of blonde.

 _Where'd you go, Kotaro, where'd you go… There!_

He was combing his way through the aisles to my right; in fact, he was so close that the only thing keeping him from catching sight of me was – the library lady.

She was stacking a bunch of textbooks with a firm scowl on her face, as though she sensed something unwelcome enter her domain, and occasionally throwing suspicious glances at Kotaro's back. Did she suspect that all of the members of the basketball team were obnoxiously noisy? If any of them – besides Akashi – actually _liked_ it here I might have felt bad about my little performance earlier –

Suddenly she turned, and she was sweeping the room with a piercing stare that sought and fixed on individual faces.

 _Shit!_

I quickly ducked to the bottom shelf and snagged the closest book I could find, pretending to be invested in it as I felt her gaze sweep over me. Long moments passed before I looked to see if she was gone, relieved when there was nothing but air in her place. _That would've totally earned me another term's worth of absence._

Resuming my stance, I quickly darted over to another shelf and again cast about for Kotaro; when I finally caught sight of him he was marching with a determined stride to a corner table. Akashi sat there, staring down through the window – like a King presiding over his kingdom.

Stuck-up bastard. _If you weren't my captain…_

For all his bravado, Kotaro's stride slowed considerably before he reached Akashi's table, and when he fixed him with that weird stare, they began conversing. But I couldn't hear a damn word they were saying. Frustration boiling, I crept from my place near the door over to a group of second-years; they gave me strange looks, letting me know that my presence was more than unwelcome. Yeah, like I cared.

As I drew closer to them, titbits of their conversation began to reach me.

Kotaro's hands were balled into fists as he leaned toward Akashi. "… or not, Akashi-san, you gotta start treating your _senpai's_ with respect! What's all this I'm hearing… Some girl behind our backs about us…"

Dammit, I still couldn't hear half of what he was saying. Growling with irritation, I stealthy moved behind another group, shamelessly using them as a shield as I stole behind another shelf, this time within hearing range of Akashi and Kotaro. In fact, I was closer to Akashi than Kotaro himself was. _Probably should have kept a little more distance…_ I'd just ducked when Akashi raised his head to fix his ' _senpai'_ with that creepy gaze.

"Kotaro, where are you getting this information from?"

The blonde, who'd obviously been bracing for another response, relaxed his shoulders. "Some chick. Pretty sure she said her name was Kisume. Or something." He shrugged, unaware of the daggers I was glaring at him. "Why, was she lying?"

Actually, I'd been wondering the same thing. Had she lied? She seemed uncomfortable with the whole conversation at the time. And, if she was…

Why? Was she trying to cover for Akashi?

Still, truth or no, it'd be a drag if Akashi dismissed the rumour as a fib. It would mean more trouble for Setsuna, who would have to contend with this ugly blonde who couldn't play ball to save his life. Seriously, I could kick his ass any day of the week, just give me ten minutes –

 _Dammit Oshiro, focus on the matter at hand._

I managed to tune back in just as Akashi spoke. "Is that so. Hmm." He glanced away, through the window again, and seemed to deliberate on something for a moment. "She wasn't lying. I have been lacking the proper decorum when I speak of you, Kotaro- _senpai._ " He turned his head to regard the blonde. "I'll be sure to reconcile my manners in this regard."

Kotaro blinked. Opened his mouth. Closed it again. Seemingly stooped, he reached up to rub the back of his head. "Y-yeah, you do that." A few moments of awkward silence passed, and though both Akashi and I were – probably – expecting him to leave, he stayed, obviously wanting to say something else.

We didn't have to wait long. "Hey, Akashi-san, why didn't you put Oshiro on the team listing for next year? I thought he was locked in for first string." He cocked his head. "Didn't you want him to replace Chihiro?"

Akashi let out a small sigh and replied, "No one can replace Chihiro- _senpai_ –" he covered his mouth with a finger, effectively disguising his next words from Kotaro "– since he himself was a replacement."

 _Reeeaaaallyyy…_ Though I was totally gobbling up the Goss between these two, even I had to admit that was pretty damn cold toward his ex-teammate. Not that I cared; I'd never liked that stuck-up punk anyway. _Trying to make me pay eleven-thousand yen for a Rakuzan jersey…_

"So it's not true, then?"

Again letting out a small sigh that only I could hear, he asked, "Did you discuss this with Koizumi as well?"

Kotaro shook his head. "Nah, she was just there. Actually, now that I think about it… I never actually got to talk about it with Eisuke." He screwed up his face like he was trying to remember something important. _Good luck with that._

Akashi regarded his reaction for a moment, and then suddenly, a small grin shaped his mouth. My jaw slackened a notch. Having never seen him wear the expression, both Kotaro and I were equally shocked at its presence. It wasn't exactly a smile, but… It was freakishly close enough _._

"Is that the truth…" Some unnameable emotion entered his creepy mismatched eyes. As though he knew something we didn't; like he was partial to some secret that somehow involved Setsuna.

 _No, Eisuke, it is definitely_ not _a good idea to draw attention to yourself right now._ Yeah, tell that to my fists. They were clenching and unclenching uncontrollably. Man, I needed to get a hobby or something…

Oh, right, I already had one. Unfortunately, this guy ruled it.

Akashi four, Eisuke one.

"It's a falsehood. Unfortunately, the paper didn't print properly, so I have to make more copies and clear up all this confusion."

 _Damn straight._ Despite my dislike for the guy, I couldn't wait to tell Setsuna the news. I'd deliver it to her in a 'take-that' tone that was sure to piss her off, maybe make her hit me; either way, it would be worth it since she couldn't reach my face to do any real damage.

Kotaro placed a hand on his hip and nodded. "Right. Great." But despite the words, the curl to his lip said it was anything but. _Yeah, bring it, buddy – I'll take you down. Hard._ I blinked. _Wait, that didn't come out right._

"Was there anything else you wanted, Kotaro?" The impatience in Akashi's tone couldn't be missed – which earned him another point in my books.

This time there was no hesitation when Kotaro spoke. "What's that girl to you, anyway? Are you seeing each other?"

Suddenly more tense than I'd been all day – make that week – I waited with baited breath for Akashi's answer. I hadn't had the guts to ask Setsuna, and mentally kicked myself for it now. _I should have asked her about it first…_

Would he confirm Kotaro's suspicions? The guy was a loudmouth and had next to no filter in his brain, not to mention zero qualms about whom he told information to. Surely Akashi was aware of that? Even if there was something going on, I reasoned, Akashi wouldn't tell someone like Kotaro. The blonde idiot would have it blazing through the school faster than I could shoot a three-pointer from the centre line –

"That's really none of your business." Akashi fixed the second-year with a stern gaze that had the boy holding his hands up in surrender.

"Sorry, didn't mean to tread on toes or anything. But since you're not really denying it…" He waggled his eyebrows meaningfully.

Not sparing him another glance, Akashi packed away the book he'd been reading and stood. "I'm sure you have better things to do than haggle me all day, Kotaro- _senpai_."

"Not really, it's kinda fun actually," he chuckled, following his captain's retreat.

Well, I supposed it was _our_ captain's now. Hurrah.

Students went about their lunchtime and remained oblivious to the fury that tore through me as a stalked down a hall I had no memory of entering.

Akashi may as well have gone ahead and told the entire school that he and Setsuna were dating; he'd all but confirmed it when he hadn't _dis_ confirmed it. And now that everyone thought they were together, they were pretty much a sure thing.

Just barely stopping myself from launching my fist into the nearest wall, I instead found a small alcove between hallways and backed myself into it, striving for calm. That damn bastard had planned this all along. He'd probably set it up so that Kotaro would become suspicious of their relationship and start spreading rumours to his friends, who of course would spread the news like the good little pets they were –

 _No,_ I realised suddenly, leaning my head back against the plaster, _People were already suspecting their relationship before Kotaro found out. Akashi must have known it was pointless to try and dismiss the rumours._

I let out a frustrated breath and just reached up to rake a hand through my hair when a familiar figure rounded the corner and stopped before me. Light brown hair flicked to the side and dark eyes latched onto mine. _Treacherous_ eyes _._

"Well, well," a fake, syrupy voice said, "If it isn't the other half. Oh, wait." She rested her hand on her popped hip and fixed me with a nasty smirk. "It's the _ex_ -other half now, right?"

"What the hell are you blabbering about, Suzuki?" I growled, so not in the mood for her bullshit.

"No need to play dumb with me, handsome. I know how much it sucks to be on the outer, especially when you're used to being in. And I do mean _all_ the way in." She grinned meaningfully.

"You're so full of shit." With that, I slouched away from the alcove and set off – for nowhere. She obviously wasn't done tormenting me, though, because she was at my side before I'd taken more than five strides.

"Oh, don't be that way; it's so unattractive," she said flippantly, easily matching my pace. "I prefer the smiling Eisuke who's always cracking jokes and has those deep blue eyes that sparkle in the prettiest way."

I rolled my eyes. "Why, so you can snuff the light out of them yourself?"

She blinked up at me with astonished eyes. "Eisuke-kun, how did you know?"

"Guess the aura surrounding you that says 'Total Life-Wrecking Bitch' tipped me off."

She seemed to be taking a sick kind of satisfaction in my growing aggravation. " _S_ _omeone's_ in a bad mood. You know, you should really watch your language, especially around a young lady like myself. You could give people the wrong impression." She tapped her chin knowingly and giggled.

The sound made me want to gouge my eyeballs out with a rusty spoon.

In a voice that was barely my own, I growled, "'Case you didn't notice, I don't really give a rat's ass what people think. And trust me, _you're_ no lady. You take pleasure in making people's lives hell. You think you're teaching them a lesson or something, which is just an excuse so you can make yourself feel good." I shook my head in disgust. "I meet people like you all the time. You think your size or your status makes you more than someone else, when really you feel threatened by them and use that as an excuse to bring them down and put yourself on top. It's disgusting."

Finally, a crack appeared in her seemingly blasé façade. Smile turning marginally strained, brows lowering slightly, she said, "Huh. I never realised you had such a low opinion of me. I think I might have to rethink our relationship, Eisuke-kun."

"Yeah, you better get right on that. It'll be filed under 'Totally Delusional'."

The snort that accompanied my statement made me look; Chinami was smiling at something far ahead of us, seemingly getting a _lot_ more out of this than she should. Geez, how twisted was this chick?

"You know, if you weren't totally into her, I think we would get along more, Eisuke-kun."

Brow twitch. "Stop calling me that."

"Why?"

"Because it's pissing me off."

"You mean more than usual?"

"You got it."

"It's not hard to piss you off."

"Nope. Just plonk Suzuki Chinami in my line of sight and that'll do it just fine."

Silence, with only the sound of our feet tapping the linoleum to replace it. Totally fine by me. But the small sigh that escaped her once again had me – unwillingly – shooting a glance down.

And almost stopped me in my tracks.

Noticing the break in stride, she blinked up at me. "What is it?"

"I could ask the same question. What's with that face?"

"What face?" Frowning, she unconsciously touched her jaw. There was genuine confusion there. Was she not even aware that her feelings were showing…?

Realisation dawned. My brain finally got with the program, processing what my eyes were telling it. _Don't tell me she's actually, genuinely…_

Suddenly, a fury so great it nearly toppled me ripped through my chest. I had to curl my hands into fists to keep them from going for her throat. Just who the hell… How fucking twisted _was_ this chick?

As she beheld my fuming stance, there was more blinking on her behalf. "Eisuke, what's the matter?"

"Just who… the hell…"

Evidently there was a lot of mumbling going on, because she let out an exasperated rumble and leaned forward to better catch my words.

Big mistake.

Shocked at the rage bubbling through my system, I stumbled back like she'd just caught the plague, nearly tripping over my own feet in the process. Breathing hard, I fixed her with a hard stare when she made an attempt to get closer. And when I saw the confusion on her face again – the _genuine_ confusion – I had to control the urge to throw my fist at the wall.

"Who the _hell_ do you think you are?"

Cue the jaw-drop. "I'm sorry?"

"Bit late for that," I growled in response.

Her eyes narrowed. "Wasn't going for an apology, actually. Just wanted to know why you're going all Hulk on me."

More with the breathing. "Not very perceptive, are you? Guess that explains why you do so well at sports. You got nothing else going for you."

Despite the obvious front she was putting up, red coloured her cheeks at my jab, and a sick kind of satisfaction suffused me at the slight change I expression. Huh. Guess you could get a kick out of this shit.

"And anyway, it's nothing you can really help." Letting out a breath, I raked a hand through my hair and tried for calm. "A Zebra can't change its stripes."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

I dignified that comment with a scoff. "You think after all you've done, you can pull a face like that and expect to get away with it? I know your kind. It's cute that you're trying on new materials, but you are still you. There's no use trying to be something that you're not."

She huffed out a sigh and pretended to study her nails. "I'm bored with this conversation. I have no clue what you're going on about."

"Yeah, you do. You're a cheater, a liar and a fraud. You're a coward. You're a fake." I fixed her with a hard stare that made her squirm. "And I can see you no matter how innocent you pretend to look. So don't go pulling a face like that while I'm around, because it won't work on me."

For a moment, Chinami was stunned into absolute silence at my outburst. We stood there in the empty corridor, staring at each other like a pair of cats who'd just stumbled across one another and didn't like what they'd found. But quicker than I would've expected that expression of shock melted away, a conniving smirk taking its place. _Yep, there you are._

"Hmmm. Guess the situation is worse than I thought. 'Totally Delusional', you said? I think I might have to go digging."

Aaaand I was officially done with this conversation.

At least, that was my intention until her next words made me tense up so hard I nearly face-planted the ground.

"Actually, that's not right… I think I might find it filed right under Setsuna-chan's criminal record."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Not gonna lie, I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I'm so excited for this part of the story! For now, I'm leaving Eisuke-kun be and going back to our main heroine. But that's not to say you won't hear any more from him.

Until next time!


	21. Chapter 21

**\- Important: Please Read! -**

To my fellow readers,

There have been changes to this fanfic, and for that I am both glad and sorry. I could not continue until things from the past had been resolved, and unfortunately that took a lot more time than I had planned. However, the changes have been made, and I am ready to move on with this story and perhaps finish it quite soon.

To those who have already read this story before this update has been posted, I give you two options; you can choose to go back and read the scenes that have been added/altered, OR you may continue to read without having to do so. If you choose the latter, I feel obligated to forewarn you of references that will be made in the future, regarding the new scenes that have been added/altered. Still, if you are comfortable with this then I encourage you to keep reading on.

I apologise deeply if these changes inconvenience you at all, but I deem them necessary for the sake of finishing this fanfic. Almost every chapter has been changed somewhat, so I cannot exactly point out which one's you should go back and read if you are interested. Otherwise, I am continuing with this story and am currently in the process of writing up the final chapters.

Thank you all for your time and patience, and above all, for your helpful reviews.

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-One:**

 _~ Setsuna ~_

"Again."

I lifted a shaky hand and swiped it across my brow, glaring up at Akashi. I was beginning to hate that word.

"Did you not hear me?"

 _Seriously wish I hadn't._ "I heard you."

"Then why are you still stationary? Collect the ball." The hardness to his tone and piercing eyes commanded me to get on with it.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Except I didn't have it.

All afternoon Akashi and I had been working on my offensive game, since we'd pretty much given up on my defence. I was, as he put it, 'little more than a fly in his peripheral vision'. So, after declaring his efforts a failure, we'd switched perspectives and focused purely on offense in the hope that somehow I might have some unrevealed talent in that area. _Yeah, like that was going to happen._ With every passing hour the crease in his brow became more and more prominent. Clearly, I was making zero progress here. And with the match a mere week away…

Even now the thought was a major slap in the face. How a whole month had passed without my being aware made the whole thing even more daunting. Now I was trying to establish how I was going to learn everything I could about basketball before my match with Chinami – the girl who already knew everything there was to know about every sport, ever.

 _Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think –_

"If you think we have time to be standing around twiddling our thumbs, I'm not sure you're quite aware of what's at stake here."

Brow twitch. Shooting him an irritated look, I shook the ball – that I had literally _just_ retrieved – meaningfully. "What part of 'I got it' didn't you get? Geez, Akashi, you need to chill out." Oh God, did I really just say that?

Aaaand cue the crickets.

After a few moments of awkward – stony – silence, I shakily said, "Uh, did you want to go again?"

The soft sigh that escaped him surprised me – obviously, I was expecting some form of swift retaliation. Instead he adopted a curiously resigned expression and motioned with a perfectly-manicured finger for me to continue. After a moment of hesitation, I did.

But then I stopped. "I'm sorry… for being short with you sometimes. It's just – I've got a lot on my plate and I'm not used to dealing with so much…"

"Drama?"

I nodded, and put my pride on a temporary hold. "Not that it's any excuse. I'll try to be easier to work with."

He nodded. "Good."

"And I'll make sure to work as hard as I can."

"I know."

"… That's it?"

He cocked a brow. "Yes, that's it. We have no time for apologies – I'll take your victory as an apology for the entire month I've spent training you."

 _Don't succumb, Setsuna, keep your cool… Logic capacity of a squirrel –_

I launched the ball at his chest, and he caught it, seemingly surprised by the force behind the pass. Not that I cared; I was already bending at the knees in preparation for the onslaught that was about to come. Because my eyes were challenging him, and when he realised what it was I wanted, the small smirk that changed his face from cold to taunting told me he would readily oblige.

He began to dribble, watching me with those mismatched eyes.

I could barely focus on him at all. Strength from an unknown source began to leak into my leg muscles, then my torso and arms – until it felt like a had a single electric wire running from my toes to my head, giving me energy. Suddenly hyperaware of the flexibility in my own limbs, I gazed at Akashi with new eyes, taking in the slightest movements of his body as he shifted. My eyes, which had previously spent more time tracking the ball in his hand than anything else, now shifted their focus to the centre of his chest. Things that were far away before seemed a mere step away now. Movements that could only be executed with the utmost concentration and meticulously honed reflexes I realised would only take two pivot movements in my entire body to achieve.

But the rhythmic thumping in my ears was what kept my attention. It was slow, and beat a continuous, repetitive rhythm – one my whole body was in tune with. In this moment, I knew that if it changed, my whole being would change with it. _Thump…_

Akashi seemed to be saying something, but it was utterly negligible in comparison to the beating in my ears.

He moved to the right.

 _Thump…_ I got him on the left.

His eyes widened at my unexpected foresight into his move. Instantly he was out of range again, moving back whilst keeping the ball behind his feet to dribble. Not that it mattered; ball or no, he wasn't getting past me.

Head cocked, he seemed to be studying me patiently, waiting for me to move. When I showed no indication of doing so, he changed tactics and began to dribble the ball directly in front of him – as if he wanted to draw my attention there. But again, I didn't charge.

His chest suddenly began to quake, and I realised then that he must be laughing. Or at least chuckling – mirthlessly. Was he finding my statue-stance amusing –?

He was moving.

 _Thump…_

I didn't know if it was my brain or body that processed it first, but instantly I was in his way. He seemed to know what I was going to do before I did it, however, because no sooner had I stopped his advance than he pivoted with blurring movements around me. I saw the shift in his chest, knew it was coming – _Thump_ – but my balance was on my right leg, and the time it would take to shift and intercept was too short – _Thump –_

I wasn't going to make it –

 _Thump thump-thumpthumpthump –_

He was before me. And… the ball was in my hands.

The shock was what knocked me out of it. Reality slammed into me like a torrent of icy cold water, bringing scents and sounds, the sound of my breathless panting, and… Akashi.

"You… did it." He seemed just as stunned as me.

My eyes shot to his. Dropped to the ball still clutched in my hands, which I quickly released. It bounced on the wood between us.

"I did…" I blinked as I processed the fact that I had literally just stolen the ball from the top basketball-team in the nations' _captain_. "Holy _shit_!"

"Language."

"Sorry." _Don't care._

But when I looked at him again, he was wearing what could only be a pleased expression. My gut tightened peculiarly. "Well done, Setsuna. You're making true progress now."

Red swiftly flooded my face. _Akashi, praising me…?_ Naturally, I had no idea how to respond coherently. "W-Well, of – yeah! I'm making true basketball – I mean, progress – with basketball…" _Oh my God, please shut me up…_ "I've been practicing, like, heaps, so it was, um, bound to happen…"

One perfectly straight red eyebrow rose at my gabble. "I see. You are starting to understand now? Practice makes –"

"Perfect," I thoughtlessly interrupted.

He was silent for a few moments, making me squirm awkwardly under his intense stare. "Victory. Practice makes victory. There is no such thing as perfect."

I blinked. "Right. Yes, of course… Because I won, so I guess I understand what you're saying."

His head cocked a little. "One victory does not ensure the win."

"But… I beat you, didn't I?"

"Did you get the ball through my hoop?" he asked so politely, I almost missed the fact that he was _totally_ defending his pride right now.

 _Wow, what a sore loser… It was so like him._ Suddenly all I could picture was a small red squirrel with mismatched eyes jealously defending his stash of nuts. A hastily muffled snigger escaped me. _So cute..!_

His lips lifted a little, but it did nothing to ease my growing anxiety; in fact, coupled with his wide staring eyes, it gave a totally creepy and sinister vibe that I should have been accustomed to by this point. Unfortunately, it still raised the hair on my arms.

"I'm impressed by this newfound confidence you've found, Setsuna. Come, let us build on that even further." His head tilted further. "I may have to step it up and give you my all… My all ten per cent, of course."

I quailed at that. "Ten… per cent?"

He nodded. "Surely you didn't think I would go all out on my student? I would have nothing left to train…" Bending to retrieve the ball that had rolled to his feet – like it was somehow drawn there – he began to dribble slowly. "Come."

I took a deep breath for courage and took a step forward. The pain that raced up my leg from that one movement told me everything I needed to know. _Oh… I am so dead._

* * *

"Get up. You're going to be late for your Aunt."

I groaned from my perch on the floor, the wood under my face bouncing the sound right back at me. "I can't… I'm dead…"

He sighed. "Then become the walking dead. We need to pack up and leave."

I actually whimpered at that. "No… Don't make me..." Even trying to wipe the sweat from my face was going to be a challenge for my shaking arms. The grogginess in my head also wouldn't help matters.

In my peripheral vision I saw his shoes approach, until he was standing beside my lifeless body. "Come."

I could barely process what he was saying, let alone make out what was presented in front of my face. "What?"

"Reach out your hand and I will help you up."

I grunted in agreement. "Help me up onto a stretcher? I think I need one… Call the ambulance, Akashi…"

I could practically hear him roll his eyes in that sophisticated, better-than-you way of his. "Now you're just being dramatic."

"Wee-oor, wee-oor…"

"Stop being ridiculous and get off the floor. You're not a child." This time his tone was hard, as if he expected me to obey quickly.

I raised my head at that, turning the full force of my glare on him. "This is your fault, you know!"

Suddenly he squatted down, his face ending up not five inches away, piercing eyes seeking and ensnaring my own. I swallowed, but not from fear. "No, Setsuna. This is what you wanted, remember? Victory demands sacrifice."

I frowned at his strange choice of words, still struggling to understand. "Sacrifice?"

"Yes." One of those brows rose again. "Although you also provoked me into action."

I went to nod, but the movement had me groaning pitifully. "Drastic, over-the-top action."

"… Perhaps."

I froze, surprised. Had that been… some kind of an apology? He didn't say he was sorry outright, yet I was still tempted to forgive him.

 _Dammit, he does this all the time…_ _I should start calling it the 'Akashi-Apology'… Or maybe the 'Akology'… 'Apoloshi'…?_

"You seem very… sluggish," he commented wryly.

I frowned at him. "Shush for a second… Trying to think…"

He blinked. "Did you just –"

"SHHHH!" I raised my right hand to place over his mouth, but the weight that was shifted onto the left was too much. I toppled over, ending up on my back by his feet and groaning pitifully as I did. When I looked up, he was staring at me with a strange expression. "Apoloshi… Ako…logy? Akology… no, not that one…"

"What are you mumbling about?"

"Apoloshi…" I giggled suddenly. "Yes, I like that one best!"

His face became annoyed. "Enough of this. I have more important things to do. Make sure you take some magnesium tablets before bed. It will help with the pain." He made to stand.

With a speed I didn't know I still possessed, my hand flashed out to seize his jersey. "Wait! You're… leaving?" Had my voice come out pleading?

His mismatched eyes met mine, and I shivered all over again. "Yes. Your training is done for today."

I frowned. "But –"

When I didn't continue the thought, he sighed once. "Setsuna, I'm here to train you, not baby you or spend quality time with you."

 _Ouch._ "What's… so bad about spending time with me? Am I that insufferable?" When he didn't reply, I looked away, allowing my hand to fall from his jersey. "Sorry. I get that you're always busy… I'll stop bothering you so much." Silence met my words, awkward and filled with disappointment – on my end, at least. And although I refused to acknowledge the reasoning behind that particular emotion, it didn't stop me from wishing he would stay.

When I realised he hadn't moved at all, I flicked my fingers at him dismissively. "It's fine, Akashi-san. I'll be up in a minute, so you should just – WAHH!" He reached over to grip my wrist, pulling my torso off the ground gently but swiftly and throwing my hand over his opposite shoulder. "Akashi, what –"

"I doubt you can make it to a standing position right now, let alone all the way home. I will take you home today." With that, he pulled me fully across his back and stood all in one motion. The moment the ground fell away from my feet, I instinctively locked both arms around his neck. He grunted once and tapped on my arm. "I'm going to need oxygen if we hope to make it out alive."

I blinked. Loosened my hold. Blinked again. "Did you just… crack a joke?"

"If you think it amusing."

"No," I replied quickly. "I'd say your humour is more like your Shogi; deceitful and only used to lure the unsuspecting victim into a trap."

"… You're clearly still a bit slow."

* * *

As he carted me out of the school piggy-back style, I tried more than once to reduce the awkwardness through pleasant conversation, but Akashi wasn't one for wasting words. At least, with me he wasn't. On multiple occasions in the past he had made polite conversation with others, yet he seemed to drop all manner of proper decorum when we were alone.

When I mentioned this, his response was to simply shrug – making me wince – and say, "That kind of thing is unnecessary with you."

My brow twitched in annoyance. "Right. Because I'm just the nuisance you can't seem to get rid of."

He shook his head as we came up to the gate. "I didn't say that."

 _Oh, how very reassuring…_

But I was momentarily distracted from replying when a gust of wind blew in from the gate, causing Akashi's bright red hair to swish this way and that… And making it all-too-irresistible to touch. My face was so close… It would be nothing to lean forward just an inch and feel it against my cheek. Would it be soft? Or coarse like straw from using products? I studied it again. _No, I don't think he puts any cream in… It looks soft… Wait, am I seriously going to feel his hair with my face?_

… _Yes. Yes, I am._

Before I could think on it any longer, I bent my head downward that single inch… And sighed at how soft it felt. _Like a kitten's fur…_ I sighed again and got a little closer…

He tensed, and I knew then that I'd over-stepped the mark. My spine stiffened in anticipation of the reprimand that was sure to come.

"Setsuna?"

I straightened up, instantly alert. The voice was deep and familiar, but didn't sound like Akashi's – and it was coming from somewhere from my right. _But no, he was supposed to have left this morning…_ Were my ears playing tricks on me…? My head slowly turned towards the source.

The receptionist lady who had been hired to watch Akashi was standing there, beside a black limo – his limo, I realised distantly. But that wasn't important.

Because standing directly behind her was my uncle, open-mouthed and staring at me as if I'd grown two heads – or like he wanted to rip the one I had off. And he'd just seen me face-rub Akashi's bright-red head…

 _Oh… I am so dead._


End file.
